Abirim
Community settlement in northern Israel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abirim (Hebrew: אבירים, lit. 'Knights'), also known as Mitzpe Abirim, is a community settlement in northern Israel. Located in the Upper Galilee, three kilometres from Ma'alot-Tarshiha, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council. In 2024 it had a population of 304.[1] It is located in the middle of a natural oak forest bordering the Nahal Kziv nature reserve.
Abirim
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| Etymology: Knights | |
  Abirim  Abirim | |
| Coordinates: 33°2′22″N 35°17′15″E | |
| Country |  Israel |
| District | Northern |
| Council | Ma'ale Yosef |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Population (2024)[1] | 304 |
| Website | abirim.info |
History
Abirim was established in 1980 on land that had belonged to Fassuta prior to 1948.[2] It was initially named "Eder" and then renamed to "Abirim" after the nearby ruins of Burj Misr (Arabic: "Egyptian Tower"), which was renamed to Horbat Metsad Abirim (Hebrew: "Ruin of the Fortress of the Knights") in 1957.[3][4] The age and original purpose of the ruins is unknown; proposals range from a Crusader stronghold to a mausoleum from the Hellenistic period (4th–3rd centuries BCE).[5][6]