| Nataf | |
| Hebname: | נטף |
| Arname: | نطاف |
| Foundation: | 1982 |
| District: | jerusalem |
| Council: | Mateh Yehuda |
| Pushpin Map: | Israel jerusalem |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Coordinates: | 31.8322°N 35.0678°W |
| Website: | nataf.co |
Nataf (he|נָטָף, lit. Stacte) is a community settlement in central Israel. Located in the Judean Mountains, west of Jerusalem, it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. In it had a population of .
Its biblical name is adopted from the Hebrew word for stacte, one of the spices used in the Temple (30:34 ).[1] [2]
According to Walid Khalidi, Nataf was founded in 1982 on land belonging to the depopulated Palestinian village of Bayt Thul,[3] less than 1 km south of the village site of Nitaf.[4] The village website states that Nataf was built on land bought from Arabs.[5] According to Davar, 40 Israeli families bought the land from Abu Ghosh Arabs.[6]
20% of the residents are Modern Orthodox; 80% of the residents are secular. The village has an unaffiliated synagogue with three sections for prayer: a men's section, a women's section and a mixed section.
Nataf is situated on a ridge bounded by Kefira Valley to the north and Hamisha Valley to the south; the elevation is around 500 m above MSL. It lies at the end of a 3-mile road that passes through Abu Ghosh.
Nataf spring, overlooking the Kefira Valley, is a popular hiking destination. The spring flows year-round but with little water during the dry summer. The water flows from a cave via a channel to a pear-shaped cistern (5X5 meters), from which it is impossible to exit. Entering the cistern is dangerous and many hikers have had to be rescued in a state of exhaustion and hypothermia.
. All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948 . Walid Khalidi. 1992. Washington D.C.. Institute for Palestine Studies. 0-88728-224-5. 290.