Jerusalem activist Aryeh King has bought an abandoned church property for use as a new Jewish town between Gush Etzion and Hebron, Haaretz reported Friday morning.
King, who lives in eastern Jerusalem, has not commented on the report of the purchase of the 9-acre site next to the village of Al-Aroob, a favorite launching point for rocks thrown by Palestinian Authority terrorists at passing Jewish motorists.
The old church is located approximately one mile south of Gush Etzion. There are no Jewish communities located on the highway until Kiryat Arba. One community, Karmei Tzur, is located south of Al-Aroob but is several miles west of the highway.
The new town is to be called Beit Bracha, which means “the House of Blessing.” A church on the site was used as a hostel 20 years ago but then was abandoned after going bankrupt.
According to Haaretz, King bought the property three years ago and is building a new security fence around the site.
A Gush Etzion official told Haaretz, “This is a property owned by the Swedish church and has no connection with us.