Ḥaẓor
ḤAẒOR
ḤAẒOR (ha-Gelilit ; Heb. (חָצוֹר (הַגְּלִילִית), development town with municipal council status in eastern Upper Galilee, N.E. of Rosh Pinnah and 2½ mi. (4 km.) S. of the mound of ancient Hazor. The site was chosen in 1950 and its first housing schemes were ready in 1953, taking in immigrants from the Rosh Pinnah ma'barah and newcomers and having a population of 895 by the end of that year. Large numbers of immigrants, principally from Middle East and North African countries, were housed at Ḥaẓor, but many of them left after a short interval, due to poor local conditions. Later, when economic opportunities improved, the population grew again and reached 5,250 at the end of 1969. In the mid-1990s, it was approximately 8,190, and at the end of 2002 it reached 8,550, on a municipal area of 2 sq. mi. (5.2 sq. km.). Ḥaẓor's assets have been a favorable location for communications, a rich farming hinterland in the Ḥuleh Valley, an ample water supply, and the availability of level ground for industrial enterprises. A drawback has been the proximity of two other towns – Safed and Kiryat Shemonah. Income has been considerably below the national average.
[Shlomo Hasson /
Shaked Gilboa (2nd ed.)]