|
Druze villages
|
Hurfeish
|
The northernmost Druze village in Israel, Hurfeish lies 8 kilometers west of kibbutz Sasa, near the Lebanese border. Situated at 2,296 feet above seas level, the village commands views of the Galilee, Carmel, Mediterranean and southern Lebanon. The earliest record of a local settlement dates to the Byzantine Period, when the village served as the headquar ters of the al-Hurfesha emirate. Historic opinion regarding the origin of the name Hurfeish is divided. Some believe that the name alludes to the Harfush clan that settled in the area hundreds of years ago, while others claim it is derived from the endemic Harfhashin plant. Hurfeish was made a local council in 1967. The strongly-Druze village is home to 5,400 people, only 1% of whom are Muslim or Christian. The annual growth rate is 2.2%. Nearby is the grave of Nabi (prophet) Sabalan, which the Druze hold sacred. Village authorities have set up a memorial to lieutenant-colonel Nabia Meri, killed in action at Gaza in the wake of the Western Wall tunnel riots. The village is home to various traditional guesthouses and restaurants.
|
|
|
