An Israeli city often confused with its famous neighbour Nazareth, where Christians believe Jesus was raised, has changed its name in the hope of consolidating its separate identity. A poll of over ten thousand residents of Nazareth Illit (Upper Nazareth) overwhelmingly approved the proposal to rename the city Nof Hagalil (View of the Galilee), with Mayor Ronen Plot finalising the move in a festive Friday meeting. Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, and its population of 75,000 is almost entirely Muslim or Christian. Nof Hagalil, with a population of approximately 50,000 — most of them Jewish, many of Russian origin — stands out mostly for its rapid development. Renaming the lesser-known Nof Hagalil is aimed at “bringing an end to the confusion and fixing the historic mistake of giving a city a name that includes that of another city.”AFP.

Source: Punch June 23, 2019 08:26 UTC