+Israel © MEA-20180328 (FD) History of Israel -Eilat
History of Israel -Eilat
Eilat is Israel’s southernmost city, the ‘window on the Red Sea’ on the northern tip of the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba, and surrounded by seven kilometres of Red-Sea coastline bordering Egypt, Jordan and desert landscapes—a popular domestic and international tourist destination. It has a busy port and a popular holiday resort with all the regular tourist attractions including: warm beaches, a coral reef with an aquarium, lots of day and night entertainment, and even desert-based activities. In the 1970s, charter flights to Israel brought foreign tourists to Eilat which greatly increased the popularity of the town.
Originally Eilat was a strategic military outpost, and as a port town, exported mainly potash and copper while also importing a wide variety of goods from Asia and Africa, including oil and vehicles. The ancient Hebrew name for Eilat was ‘Elath’, mentioned in the Book of Exodus from the Bible (meaning ‘Pistacia tree’). Eilat is one of the many places which the people of Israel passed through on their journey to the ‘Promised Land’. When King David conquered Edom, which bordered with Moab, he took over Eilat. Scholars suggest that His father, King Solomon also re-captured this commercial port city and copper based industrial centre from the Egyptians; then went on to develop the neighbouring town of Ezion-Geber cited in I Kings 9:26. And in 2 Kings 14:21-22, Israel’s young king Uzziah rebuilt Elath (Eilat). However, during this turbulent time, 2 Kings 16:6 records the king of Edom regained control of Eilat for the Edomite nation.
And, in more recent times, after Israel defeated the surrounding Arab nations in the 1948 Six-Day-War, Eilat became Israel’s crucial sea port for communications, commerce and trade when Egypt denied Israeli-registered ships passage through the Suez Canal, including ships carrying cargo to or from Israel. Regardless of Israel’s enemies, it remains a strong and vibrant nation, hailed as one of the best examples of democracy in the world.
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