Ofer Detention Center, Prison, and Military Court (&& Beit El Settlement Compound)

The Israeli Occupation forces began using Ofer as a detention center in 2002, and transferred managerial authority of Ofer Prison from the occupying military to the Israeli Prison Services in 2005. Known as ‘Ofer Camp,’ the site was built on expropriated land from the village of Beitunia in the West Bank—just four kilometers outside the city of Ramallah.  Ofer Detention Center was temporarily closed only to be re-opened with brand new detention sections during the Israeli invasion of the West Bank cities in 2002 due to the high number of prisoners and detainees who had been arrested. In addition to prisoners, both administrative detainees and children are sent to Ofer as well. 

 

Beit El Settlement Compound (not pictured on map):  This is a settler compound known as Beit El located just outside the city limits of Ramallah. It consists of a compound for a variety of administrative civil chambers for the occupation forces including: courts, intelligence and police stations, detention centers, and a Beit El courthouse. Though the court was moved to Ofer after which the Beit El courthouse was closed. The detention center remained for only a little while after before it was also shut down.