Ofira was an Israeli settlement built in the south of the Sinai Peninsula when it began in 1969 and continued until 1982 when it was evacuated.
Initially, nature and the beaches dominated the entire area, as it was almost completely uninhabited
Ofira is built on the cliff of Ras Umm Sid and overlooks the bay of Sharm El Moya, also known as Solomon’s Bay. On the photos page, you can see more pictures of Ofira
The Ofira area was developed into an industrial area, IDF bases were established, and an airport was constructed.
There were several hundred families who lived and worked in Ofira as well as the adjacent bases.
The road from Eilat to Ofira was paved in 1971.
For the welfare of citizens and tourists, a promenade, hotels, a field school, a diving club, and other businesses were constructed in Naama Bay.
Ofira school was established in 1974, and some children attended barefoot. In some classes, students from two age groups studied together, with each table forming a class
Heavy rains fell almost non-stop in the Ofira and Naama beach areas on October 20, 1979. Floods caused by heavy rain caused much destruction and even death due to the heavy rains
Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement in 1979 in which the Sinai Peninsula was to be returned to Egypt as part of the agreement. In 1981, a summit meeting was held there with Egyptian and Israeli leaders in attendance.
Residents left Ofira during Passover 1982, leaving behind the settlement and residences intact, but taking their memories and experiences.
A number of articles have been written about the residents’ feelings, and they are attached here
Many novels and songs have been written about Ofira and the settlement in Sinai – some are attached to the videos page.