Yafa an-Naseriyye
Encyclopedia
Yafa an-Naseriyye is an Arab
local council
located in the Lower Galilee, Israel
. It forms part of the metropolitan area
of Nazareth
, also an Arab
locality. Declared a local council in 1960, Yafa had a population of 16,200 in 2005, approximately 70% of whom are Muslim
and 30% Christian
.
Yafa has been identified as the ancient town of Japhia, mentioned in the Book of Joshua
as a border town of Zebulun
(Joshua 19:12). Local medieval tradition holds that Zebedee
and his two sons, James and John lived in Yafa.
At the time of the 1931 census
, Yafa, (including Arab el Ghazzalin), had 312 occupied houses and a population of 833, of whom 456 were Muslims and 377 Christians.
A substantial portion of Yafa's population today are the descendents of internally displaced Palestinians
from the neighbouring village of Ma'alul which was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
. People from Ma'alul participated in the local elections in Yafa under the banner of the "Ma'alul refugees' party" with platform also focused on issues of interest or concern to wider population as a way of attracting political support from local parties.
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
local council
Local council (Israel)
Local councils are one of the three types of local government found in Israel, with the other two being cities and regional councils. As of 2003, there were 144 local councils in Israel, these being settlements which pass a minimum threshold enough to justify their operations as independent...
located in the Lower Galilee, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It forms part of the metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
of Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, also an Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
locality. Declared a local council in 1960, Yafa had a population of 16,200 in 2005, approximately 70% of whom are Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and 30% Christian
Palestinian Christian
Palestinian Christians are Arabic-speaking Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic , Protestant, and others...
.
Yafa has been identified as the ancient town of Japhia, mentioned in the Book of Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
as a border town of Zebulun
Zebulun
Zebulun was, according to the Books of Genesis and Numbers, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Zebulun...
(Joshua 19:12). Local medieval tradition holds that Zebedee
Zebedee
Zebedee is a name which may refer to:-People:* Zebedee , father of James and John* Zebedee Armstrong , an American outsider artist...
and his two sons, James and John lived in Yafa.
At the time of the 1931 census
1931 census of Palestine
The 1931 census of Palestine was the second census carried out by the authorities of the British Mandate of Palestine. It was carried out on 18 November 1931 under the direction of Major E. Mills. The first census had been conducted in 1922...
, Yafa, (including Arab el Ghazzalin), had 312 occupied houses and a population of 833, of whom 456 were Muslims and 377 Christians.
A substantial portion of Yafa's population today are the descendents of internally displaced Palestinians
Internally displaced Palestinians
A present absentee is a Palestinian who fled or was expelled from his home in Palestine by Jewish or Israeli forces, before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, but who remained within the area that became the state of Israel. Present absentees are also referred to as internally displaced...
from the neighbouring village of Ma'alul which was depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
1948 Arab-Israeli War
The 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known to Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation The war commenced after the termination of the British Mandate for Palestine and the creation of an independent Israel at midnight on 14 May 1948 when, following a period of civil war, Arab armies invaded...
. People from Ma'alul participated in the local elections in Yafa under the banner of the "Ma'alul refugees' party" with platform also focused on issues of interest or concern to wider population as a way of attracting political support from local parties.