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Situated some 7.5 miles from Acre, the Western Galilee village of Abu Sinan is home to Druze, Christians and Muslims. According to tradition Sheikh Ba'ez founded the village as early as the 13th century. The meaning of the name Abu Sinan is "He with the teeth", probably alluding to the double-edged sword of its founder. The village was declared a Local Council in 1964 and has been governed independently ever since, save a year in which it was merged with the neighboring villages of Julis, Yanuh, Jat and Yirka into a single local council as part of the 2003 emergency economic plan. After a year the merger was dissolved due to local opposition. The council is hard at work improving the quality of life throughout its 1,655-acre jurisdiction. The village's central sewage, water, drainage and electricity systems were developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Fifty per cent of the industrial park are already occupied by paper, nylon, paint, woodworking and stone and marble workshops. Abu Sinan's population numbers 11,900, with an annual growth rate of 1.8%. A large proportion of the population is engaged in various trades, while many others are employed by the Israeli defense forces. Others work at government institutions and privately-owned workshops, with only a few still working the land.
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