I'billin
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| I'billin | ||
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| Hebrew | אעבלין | |
| Arabic | إعبلين | |
| Government | Local council | |
| District | North | |
| Population | 11,000 (2006) | |
| Jurisdiction | 18,000 dunams (18 km²) | |
I'billin (Hebrew: אעבלין, Arabic: إعبلين) is a local council in the Northern District of Israel. The municipality was established it 1960. The municipality's area is 18,000 dunams. The population was estimated at 11,000 residents (estimate of December 2006). The annual population growth rate was 0.8%. Most of the residents are Arab Israelis; 51.1% of whom are Muslim and 48.9% Christian.
The economic status of the population is much lower than average (2 out of 10). The proportion of high school students who achieve a passing grade at the matriculation exams is 50.0% (2000). The mean income was NIS 3,539 (over the year 2000), as compared to a national average of NIS 6,835.
[edit] History
The village existed in ancient times. It is mentioned in the Talmud and the Mishna under the name "Avlayim". During the Crusades, the village was named "Beit Abelin".
The village is sacred to local Catholics, as it is believed by them that during the 19th century a girl named Miriam of Hurfeish saw the Virgin Mary in the village.
In the village Akilla Aga, a Bedouin ruler of the area is buried, as well as the family of Dhaher el-Omar.
In 1965 Abuna Elias Chacour, a Palestinian from Kafr Bir'im who later became the Archbishop of Galilee, arrived as a young priest. He saw the lack of educational opportunities for Arab youth beyond the 8th grade, and he set about creating a school open to all local children, regardless of religious affiliation. This developed into the Mar Elias Educational Institutions.
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