cathedral
Church of the Nativity
One of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world, built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
34 km · about 40 min drive
AsiaPalestineWest Bank
Otniel
West Bank, Palestine · Asia
About Otniel
Otniel sits on the route: 5 minutes from Imrīsh, 34km from Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.
Otniel is in West Bank, Palestine, with about 1,000 people. The nearest town is Imrīsh, about 4 km away.
Otniel (Hebrew: עָתְנִיאֵל) is an Orthodox Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the southern Judaean Mountains, south of Hebron, it falls under the jurisdiction of Har Hevron Regional Council. In 2024, it had a population of 1,014.
Otniel is named after the first biblical judge of Israel, Othniel Ben Kenaz;Read more
the settlement is located between the Palestinian cities of Yatta and Dahariya, adjacent to Highway 60, which connects Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva.
Othniel serves as a regional center in the Hebron Hills and hosts numerous educational institutions: a Hesder Yeshiva, a high school yeshiva, a middle school, and a regional elementary school for the children of the settlement and the surrounding area. The nearby Jewish settlements to Othniel are Beit Hagai to the north and Shim'a and Mitzpe Eshtemoa to the south.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.
Where to Stay in Otniel
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Otniel?
Within an hour or so of Otniel: Church of the Nativity (34 km), Masada (34 km), Ein Gedi Nature Reserve (34 km), Yad Vashem (40 km).
Are there any good drives near Otniel?
The nearest famous roads are Scorpions Ascent (Ma'ale Akrabim), King's Highway and Dana to Petra Trail.
Where is Otniel?
Otniel is in West Bank, Palestine, about 4 km from Imrīsh.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,037
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Palestine
- Region
- West Bank
- Timezone
- Asia/Jerusalem
- Coordinates
- 31.4393, 35.0286
Tags
Worth the detour from Otniel
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Masada
An ancient Roman fortress atop an isolated rock plateau overlooking the Dead Sea, site of the last Jewish stand against Rome in 73 CE.
34 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Ein Gedi Nature Reserve
A lush oasis of waterfalls, pools, and wildlife on the shores of the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert.
34 km · about 40 min drive
museum
Yad Vashem
Israel's official memorial to the Holocaust, with deeply moving exhibits and a striking modernist museum built into a mountainside.
40 km · about 45 min drive
cathedral
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Christianity's holiest site, built on the traditional locations of Jesus's crucifixion and burial.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Jerusalem Old City
A walled sacred city of one square kilometer containing holy sites for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam within four historic quarters.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Western Wall (Wailing Wall)
The holiest site where Jews can pray, a 2,000-year-old limestone remnant of the Second Temple retaining wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Dome of the Rock
The iconic gold-domed Islamic shrine on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, built in 691 CE over the sacred Foundation Stone.
42 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Otniel
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 61 kmScorpions Ascent (Ma'ale Akrabim)A serpentine 1950s road built over an ancient Nabataean-Roman trade route, snaking down the Negev cliffs toward the Arava with dizzying desert switchbacks.
- 70 kmKing's HighwayOne of the world's oldest continuously used routes, winding 280 km from Madaba to Petra past Karak's crusader castle, Dana's cliffs and the mighty Wadi Mujib canyon.
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