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| The Lower Galilee strays from ] and ] in the south to the ] in the north. Its eastern border is the ]. | The Lower Galilee strays from ] and ] in the south to the ] in the north. Its eastern border is the ]. | ||
| The Upper Galilee strays from ] in the south to the Lebanese border in the north. Its eastern border is the ] and the mountains of the ]. The "Finger of the Galilee" (''Etzba ha-Galil'') is a region of the upper Galilee and contains the |
The Upper Galilee strays from ] in the south to the Lebanese border in the north. Its eastern border is the ] and the mountains of the ]. The "Finger of the Galilee" (''Etzba ha-Galil'') is a region of the upper Galilee and contains the towns ] and ] and the rivers of ] and ]. | ||
| Most of the Galilee consists of mountainous terrain, at hights of about 500-700 meters. There are serveral high mountain such as ] and ]. The relatively low tempartures and the large amounts of rain puring every year made the Galilee a center of ] and wildlife. The streams and waterfalls (mainly in the upper Galilee), along with vast fields of green and colorful flowers made it a popular tourist attraction in ]. | Most of the Galilee consists of mountainous terrain, at hights of about 500-700 meters. There are serveral high mountain such as ] and ]. The relatively low tempartures and the large amounts of rain puring every year made the Galilee a center of ] and wildlife. The streams and waterfalls (mainly in the upper Galilee), along with vast fields of green and colorful flowers made it a popular tourist attraction in ]. | ||
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| The ]im around the ] were often by shelled by the ]'s ]. The shelling stopped after ] conquered the ] in ]. | The ]im around the ] were often by shelled by the ]'s ]. The shelling stopped after ] conquered the ] in ]. | ||
| During the ]'s and the early ]'s, the |
During the ]'s and the early ]'s, the towns of the Upper Galilee were frequently attack by ] ]s from ]. In response, Israel initiated ] (]) and ] (]) in order to destroy the PLO terrorist infrastructure in ] and protects the citizens of the Upper Galilee. Up to ] Israel occupied most of Southern Lebanon in order to ensure safety for its citizens. On ] Israel withdraw to a narrow security "buffer zone" called "Retzuat ha-Bitachon". Up to ], this was the most unquiet region in Israel were ] battled ] and ] (which often shelled Upper Galilee communities and town with ] ]s). On ] ] ] unilaterally withdrew entirely from south Lebanon and deployed Israel on the international border, recognized by the ]. Despite this, Hizbullah continued to attack Israel, and the UN did nothing to prevent this. Hizbullah claims that a place on the border of the Golan Heights and Lebanon called the ] is Israeli-occupied Lebanon. Israel and the UN claim that the Shaba farms are part of the Syrian Golan Heights. | ||
| == Modern Galilee == | == Modern Galilee == | ||
Revision as of 15:28, 8 March 2005
Galilee (Hebrew hagalil הגליל, Arabic al-jaleel الجليل), meaning circuit, is a large area located in what is currently northern Israel (Tzafon), traditionally divided into three parts:
Geography
Galilee embraces more than one-third of present-day Israel, extending "from Dan on the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, to the ridges of Carmel and Gilboa on the south, and from the Jordan valley on the east away across the splendid plains of Jezreel and Akko to the shores of the Mediterranean on the west."
The Western Galilee, also called the "Northern Coastal Plain" strays from north of Haifa up to Rosh Hanikra in the border between Israel and Lebanon.
The Lower Galilee strays from Mount Carmel and Gilboa ridge in the south to the Beit HaKerem Valley in the north. Its eastern border is the Jordan River.
The Upper Galilee strays from Beit HaKerem Valley in the south to the Lebanese border in the north. Its eastern border is the Sea of Galilee and the mountains of the Golan Heights. The "Finger of the Galilee" (Etzba ha-Galil) is a region of the upper Galilee and contains the towns Metula and Qiriyat Shemona and the rivers of Dan and Banias.
Most of the Galilee consists of mountainous terrain, at hights of about 500-700 meters. There are serveral high mountain such as Mount Tavor and Mount Meiron. The relatively low tempartures and the large amounts of rain puring every year made the Galilee a center of blossom and wildlife. The streams and waterfalls (mainly in the upper Galilee), along with vast fields of green and colorful flowers made it a popular tourist attraction in Israel.
See also: Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee (Yam Kinneret), Mount Hermon.
History
Solomon rewarded Hiram for certain services rendered him by the gift of an upland plain among the mountains of Naphtali. Hiram was dissatisfied with the gift, and called it "the land of Cabul". The Jews called it Galil. During the Hasmonaean period, in the midst of the decline of the Seleucid Empire, the region was taken over by the Jews.
In Roman times, the province of Palestine was divided into three regions, Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, which comprised the whole northern section of the country, and was the largest of the three.
It was the scene of some of the most memorable events of Jewish history. Galilee also was the home of Jesus during at least thirty years of his life. The first three Gospels of the New Testament are chiefly taken up with Jesus' public ministry in this province.
During the Crusades, Galilee was organized into the Principality of Galilee, one of the most important Crusader seigneuries.
During the 20th century, the Galilee was inhabited by Haredi Jews ("Ke'ilot Kodesh", mainly in Safed), Zionist settlers, Arabs, Druzes and other minorities such Circassians.
After the 1948 Arab-Israeli war the entire Galilee was in Israel's control. The Kibbutzim around the Sea of Galilee were often by shelled by the Syrian army's artillery. The shelling stopped after Israel conquered the Golan Heights in 1967.
During the 1970's and the early 1980's, the towns of the Upper Galilee were frequently attack by PLO terrorists from Lebanon. In response, Israel initiated Operation Litani (1979) and Operation Peace For Galilee (1982) in order to destroy the PLO terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon and protects the citizens of the Upper Galilee. Up to 1985 Israel occupied most of Southern Lebanon in order to ensure safety for its citizens. On 1985 Israel withdraw to a narrow security "buffer zone" called "Retzuat ha-Bitachon". Up to 2000, this was the most unquiet region in Israel were Israeli Defence Forces battled Hizbullah and Amal (which often shelled Upper Galilee communities and town with Katyoosha rockets). On 2000 Israeli prime-minister Ehud Barak unilaterally withdrew entirely from south Lebanon and deployed Israel on the international border, recognized by the UN. Despite this, Hizbullah continued to attack Israel, and the UN did nothing to prevent this. Hizbullah claims that a place on the border of the Golan Heights and Lebanon called the Shaba Farms is Israeli-occupied Lebanon. Israel and the UN claim that the Shaba farms are part of the Syrian Golan Heights.
Modern Galilee
Modern Galilee is one of the few areas of Israel to have retained a large Palestinian Arab population after 1948, and has a particularly large number of Druze. Its main cities are Akko (Acre), Nazareth, Safed (Tzfat), Afula, Qiryat Shemona and Tiberias. The city of Haifa, although outside the Galilee is serving as an adminstrational and commercial center for the Galilee.
Because of its mountainous terrain most of the settlements in the Galilee are small villages. The main industries of those villages are agriculture and tourism. Many families run a "Zimmer" (popular name for B&B in Israel) for rent.
See also
- Sea of Galilee (also known as Sea of Tiberias)
Reference
- Initial text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897. Please update as needed