Hula Valley

The Hula Valley (עמק החולה, translit. Emek Ha-Ḥula; also transliterated as Huleh Valley, سهل الحولة) is an agricultural region in northern Israel with abundant fresh water, which used to be Lake Hula, prior to its draining. It is a major stopover for birds migrating along the Syrian-African Rift Valley between Africa, Europe, and Asia. Lake Hula and the marshland surrounding it were a breeding ground for mosquitoes carrying malaria, and so were drained in the 1950s. A small section of the valley was later re-flooded in an attempt to revive a nearly extinct ecosystem. An estimated 500 million migrating birds now pass through the Hula Valley every year. Lake Hula was historically referred to by different names. The 14th century BCE Egyptians called the lake Samchuna, while the Hebrew Bible records it as Merom. In the 1st century CE, the Jewish-Roman historian Flavius Josephus termed it Semechonitis (Σημεχωνίτις), John Lightfoot writing it as Samochonitis, while in the Talmud it is called Yam Sumchi – i.e. Sea of Sumchi. Currently the lake is called Buheirat el Huleh in Arabic and Agam ha-Hula in Hebrew, stemming from the Aramaic Hulata or Ulata. The "Waters of Merom" has sometimes been used in scientific literature, although that term refers specifically to springs on the western side of the valley. Prior to its drainage in the early 1950s, Lake Hula was long and wide, extending over 12-14 square kilometers. It was about deep in summer and deep in winter. The marsh-like lake was fed by a number of perennial springs. The lake attracted human settlement from early prehistoric times. Paleolithic archaeological remains were found near the "Daughters of Jacob Bridge" at the southern end of the valley. The first permanent settlement, Enan (Mallaha), dates from 9,000–10,000 years ago and was discovered in the valley. The Hula Valley was a main junction on the important trade route connecting the large commercial centre of Damascus with the Eastern Mediterranean coast and Egypt.