Nazareth Illit, often confused with Nazareth, to get a name change

7 February 2019, 6:51 pm

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The Names Commission in the Prime Minister’s Office, which authorizes official names of towns and cities in Israel, okays a request from the Nazareth Illit municipality to change its name.

Nazareth Illit, a northern town with a mostly Jewish population, is next to the ancient city of Nazareth, whose present-day population is almost entirely Arab.

According to Nazareth Illit Mayor Ronen Plot, who sought to change the town’s name in November, the move is necessary because of widespread confusion between his city and neighboring Nazareth.

New names under consideration for the mountaintop town include Nof Hagalil (“Galilee Landscape” or “Galilee View”) and Nofey Illit (“Upper Landscapes”).