 = Haifa = 
 
 Haifa ( Hebrew : <unk> Hefa , Hebrew pronunciation : [ <unk> ] , <unk> Hebrew pronunciation : [ <unk> <unk> <unk> ] <unk> ; Arabic : <unk> <unk> ) , the third @-@ largest city in the State of Israel , has a population of over 277 @,@ <unk> . Another 300 @,@ 000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including <unk> al @-@ <unk> , the Krayot , Nesher , Tirat Carmel , and some <unk> . Together these areas form a contiguous urban area , home to nearly 600 @,@ 000 residents , which makes up the inner core of the Haifa metropolitan area , the second- or third @-@ most populous metropolitan area in Israel . It is also home to the Bahá 'í World Centre , a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a destination for <unk> 'i pilgrims . 
 Built on the slopes of Mount Carmel , the settlement has a history spanning more than 3 @,@ 000 years . The earliest known settlement in the vicinity was Tell Abu <unk> , a small port city established in the Late Bronze Age ( 14th century BCE ) . In the 3rd century CE , Haifa was known as a dye @-@ making center . Over the centuries , the city has changed hands : being conquered and ruled by the <unk> , Persians , <unk> , Romans , <unk> , Arabs , Crusaders , Ottomans , British , and the <unk> . Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 , the Haifa Municipality has governed the city . 
 As of 2016 the city is a major seaport located on Israel 's Mediterranean coastline in the Bay of Haifa covering 63 @.@ 7 square kilometres ( 24 @.@ 6 sq mi ) . It lies about 90 kilometres ( 56 mi ) north of Tel Aviv and is the major regional center of northern Israel . Two respected academic institutions , the University of Haifa and the Technion , are located in Haifa , in addition to the largest k @-@ 12 school in Israel , the Hebrew <unk> School . The city plays an important role in Israel 's economy . It is home to Matam , one of the oldest and largest high @-@ tech parks in the country . Haifa Bay is a center of heavy industry , petroleum refining and chemical processing . Haifa formerly functioned as the western terminus of an oil pipeline from Iraq via Jordan . 
 
 = = Etymology = = 
 
 The earliest named settlement within the domain of modern @-@ day Haifa was a city known as <unk> . Tel Shikmona Hebrew meaning " mound of the <unk> <unk> " ( Arabic Tell el @-@ <unk> or Tell es @-@ Samak , meaning " mound of the fish " ) preserved and transformed this ancient name and is mentioned once in the <unk> ( composed c . 200 CE ) for the wild fruits that grow around it . , with locals using it to refer to a coastal tell at the foot of the Carmel Mountains that contains its remains . 
 The name <unk> first appears during Roman rule , some time after the end of the 1st century , when a Roman fortress and small Jewish settlement were established not far from Tell es @-@ Samak . Haifa is also mentioned more than 100 times in the Talmud , a book central to Judaism . 
 Hefa or <unk> in Eusebius of Caesarea 's 4th @-@ century work , <unk> ( <unk> . 108 , 31 ) , is said to be another name for <unk> . This <unk> of the names is explained by Moshe Sharon who writes that the twin ancient settlements , which he calls Haifa @-@ Sycaminon , gradually expanded into one another , becoming a twin city known by the Greek names Sycaminon or <unk> <unk> . <unk> to this city end with the Byzantine period . 
 Around the 6th century , <unk> or <unk> is mentioned in the writings of William of Tyre , and while it lies within the area covered by modern Haifa , it was a settlement situated south of Haifa @-@ Sycaminon . 
 Following the Arab conquest in the 7th century , Haifa was used to refer to a site established on Tell es @-@ Samak upon what were already the ruins of Sycaminon ( <unk> ) . Haifa ( or <unk> ) is mentioned by the mid @-@ 11th @-@ century Persian chronicler <unk> <unk> , and the <unk> and 13th @-@ century Arab chroniclers , Muhammad al @-@ <unk> and <unk> al @-@ <unk> . 
 The Crusaders , who captured Haifa briefly in the 12th century , call it <unk> , and believe its name related to <unk> , the Aramaic name of Simon Peter . Eusebius is also said to have referred to Hefa as Caiaphas <unk> , and Benjamin of <unk> , the 12th @-@ century Jewish traveller and chronicler , is said to have attributed the city 's founding to Caiaphas , the Jewish high priest at the time of Jesus . 
 Other <unk> in English have included <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> and <unk> . 
 Haifa <unk> ' <unk> ( Arabic : " Ancient Haifa " ) is another name used by locals to refer to Tell es @-@ Samak , as it was the site of Haifa when it was a hamlet of 250 residents , before it was moved in 1764 @-@ 5 to a new fortified site founded by Zahir al @-@ Umar 1 @.@ 5 miles ( 2 @.@ 4 kilometres ) to the east . The new village , the nucleus of modern Haifa , was originally named al @-@ <unk> al @-@ <unk> ( Arabic : " the new construction " ) , but locals called it Haifa al @-@ <unk> ( Arabic : " New Haifa " ) at first , and then simply Haifa . In the early 20th century , Haifa al ' <unk> was <unk> as a predominantly Arab Christian neighborhood of Haifa as it expanded outward from its new location . 
 The ultimate origin of the name Haifa remains unclear . One theory holds it derives from the name of the high priest Caiaphas . Some Christians believe it was named for Saint Peter , whose Aramaic name was <unk> . Another theory holds it could be derived from the Hebrew verb root <unk> ( <unk> ) , meaning to cover or shield , i.e. Mount Carmel covers Haifa ; others point to a possible origin in the Hebrew word <unk> ( <unk> ) , meaning shore , or <unk> <unk> ( <unk> <unk> ) , meaning beautiful shore . 
 
 = = History = = 
 
 
 = = = Early history = = = 
 
 A small port city known today as Tell Abu <unk> was established Late Bronze Age ( 14th century BCE ) . During the 6th century BCE , Greek geographer <unk> told of a city " between the bay and the <unk> of Zeus " ( i.e. , the Carmel ) which may be a reference to Shikmona , a locality in the Haifa area , during the Persian period . By Hellenistic times , the city had moved to a new site south of what is now Bat Galim because the port 's harbour had become blocked with sand . About the 3rd century CE , the city was first mentioned in <unk> literature , as a Jewish fishing village and the home of Rabbi <unk> and other Jewish scholars . A Greek @-@ speaking population living along the coast at this time was engaged in commerce . 
 Haifa was located near the town of Shikmona , a center for making the traditional <unk> dye used in the garments of the high priests in the Temple . The archaeological site of Shikmona is southwest of Bat Galim . Mount Carmel and the Kishon River are also mentioned in the Bible . A <unk> on the top of Mount Carmel is known as the " Cave of Elijah " , traditionally linked to the Prophet Elijah and his apprentice , <unk> . In Arabic , the highest peak of the Carmel range is called the <unk> , or " place of burning , " <unk> back to the burnt offerings and sacrifices there in Canaanite and early <unk> times 
 Early Haifa is believed to have occupied the area which extends from the present @-@ day Rambam Hospital to the Jewish Cemetery on <unk> Street . The inhabitants engaged in fishing and agriculture . 
 Under Byzantine rule , Haifa continued to grow but did not assume major importance . Following the Arab conquest of Palestine in the <unk> @-@ 40s , Haifa was largely overlooked in favor of the port city of ' Akka . Under the <unk> Caliphate , Haifa began to develop . In the 9th century under the <unk> and <unk> <unk> , Haifa established trading relations with Egyptian ports and the city featured several shipyards . The inhabitants , Arabs and Jews , engaged in trade and maritime commerce . Glass production and dye @-@ making from marine snails were the city 's most lucrative industries . 
 
 = = = Crusader , Ayyubid and Mamluk rule = = = 
 
 <unk> ended in 1100 or 1101 , when Haifa was besieged and blockaded by the Crusaders and then conquered after a fierce battle with its Jewish inhabitants and <unk> garrison . Under the Crusaders , Haifa was reduced to a small fortified coastal stronghold . It was a part of the Principality of Galilee within the Kingdom of Jerusalem . Following their victory at the Battle of <unk> , Saladin 's Ayyubid army captured Haifa in mid @-@ July 1187 and the city 's Crusader fortress was destroyed . The Crusaders under Richard the <unk> retook Haifa in 1191 . 
 In the 12th century religious <unk> started inhabiting the caves on Mount Carmel , and in the 13th century they formed a new Catholic monastic order , the <unk> . Under Muslim rule , the church which they had built on Mount Carmel was turned into a mosque , later becoming a hospital . In the 19th century , it was restored as a <unk> monastery , the Stella Maris Monastery . The altar of the church as we see it today , stands over a cave associated with Prophet Elijah . 
 In 1265 , the army of Baibars the Mamluk captured Haifa , destroying its fortifications , which had been rebuilt by King Louis IX of France , as well as the majority of the city 's homes to prevent the European Crusaders from returning . For much of their rule , the city was desolate in the Mamluk period between the 13th and 16th centuries . Information from this period is scarce . During Mamluk rule in the 14th century , al @-@ <unk> wrote that Haifa served as the port for Tiberias and featured a " fine harbor for the anchorage of galleys and other vessels . 
 
 = = = Ottoman era = = = 
 
 In 1596 , Haifa appeared in Ottoman tax registers as being in the <unk> of <unk> Atlit of the <unk> of <unk> . It had a population of 32 Muslim households and paid taxes on wheat , barley , <unk> , olives , and goats or <unk> . 
 Haifa was a hamlet of 250 inhabitants in 1764 @-@ 5 . It was located at Tell el @-@ <unk> , the site of ancient <unk> . In 1765 Zahir al @-@ Umar , the Arab ruler of Acre and the Galilee , moved the population to a new fortified site 1 @.@ 5 miles ( 2 @.@ 4 kilometres ) to the east and laid waste to the old site . According to historian Moshe Sharon , the new Haifa was established by Zahir in 1769 . This event marked the beginning of the town 's life at its modern location . After al @-@ Umar 's death in 1775 , the town remained under Ottoman rule until 1918 , with the exception of two brief periods . 
 In <unk> , Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Haifa during his unsuccessful campaign to conquer Palestine and Syria , but soon had to withdraw ; in the campaign 's final proclamation , Napoleon took credit for having razed the fortifications of " <unk> " ( as the name was spelled at the time ) along with those of Gaza , <unk> and Acre . 
 Between 1831 and 1840 , the Egyptian viceroy Muhammad Ali governed Haifa , after his son Ibrahim Pasha had <unk> its control from the Ottomans . When the Egyptian occupation ended and Acre declined , the importance of Haifa rose . 
 The arrival of the German Templers in 1868 , who settled in what is now known as the German Colony of Haifa , was a turning point in Haifa 's development . The Templers built and operated a steam @-@ based power station , opened factories and inaugurated carriage services to Acre , Nazareth and Tiberias , playing a key role in <unk> the city . 
 The first major Jewish Immigration took place at the middle 19th century from Morocco , with small immigration from Turkey few years later . A wave of European Jews arrived at the end of the 19th century from Romania . The Central Jewish <unk> Society in Romania purchased over 1 @,@ 000 acres ( 4 @.@ 0 km2 ) near Haifa . As the Jewish settlers had been city dwellers , they hired the former <unk> <unk> to instruct them in agriculture . 
 In 1909 , Haifa became important to the Bahá 'í Faith when the remains of the <unk> , founder of the <unk> Faith and forerunner of Bahá 'u'lláh in the Bahá 'í Faith , were moved from Acre to Haifa and interred in the shrine built on Mount Carmel . Bahá <unk> consider the shrine to be their second <unk> place on Earth after the Shrine of Bahá 'u'lláh in Acre . Its precise location on Mount Carmel was shown by Bahá 'u'lláh himself to his eldest son , `Abdu 'l @-@ Bahá , in 1891 . `Abdu 'l @-@ Bahá planned the structure , which was designed and completed several years later by his grandson , <unk> <unk> . In a separate room , the remains of `Abdu 'l @-@ Bahá were buried in November 1921 . 
 A branch of the <unk> railway , known as the <unk> Valley railway , was built between 1903 and 1905 . This event accelerated the growth of Haifa , which became a township ( <unk> ) centre in Akka in the <unk> of <unk> <unk> before the end of Ottoman rule . The Technion Institute of Technology was established around this time , that is , in 1912 . 
 
 = = = British Mandate = = = 
 
 Haifa was captured from the Ottomans in September 1918 by Indian horsemen of the British Army after overrunning Ottoman positions armed with <unk> and swords . On 22 September , British troops were heading to Nazareth when a reconnaissance report was received indicating that the Turks were leaving Haifa . The British made preparations to enter the city and came under fire in the Balad al @-@ Sheikh district ( today Nesher ) . After the British regrouped , an elite unit of Indian horsemen were sent to attack the Turkish positions on the flanks and overrun their artillery guns on Mount Carmel . 
 Under the British Mandate , Haifa became an industrial port city . The Bahá 'í Faith in 1918 and today has its administrative and spiritual centre in the environs of Haifa . Over the next few decades the number of Jews increased steadily , due to immigration , especially from Europe . The Arab immigration on the other hand swelled by influx of Arabs , coming mainly from surrounding villages as well as Syrian <unk> . The Arab immigration mainly came as a result of prices and salary drop . Between the censuses of 1922 and 1931 , the Muslim , Jewish , and Christian populations rose by 217 % , 256 % , and 156 % , respectively . 
 Haifa 's development owed much to British plans to make it a central port and hub for Middle @-@ East crude oil . The British Government of Palestine developed the port and built refineries , thereby facilitating the rapid development of the city as a center for the country 's heavy industries . Haifa was also among the first towns to be fully electrified . The Palestine Electric Company inaugurated the Haifa Electrical Power Station already in 1925 , opening the door to considerable <unk> . The State @-@ run Palestine Railways also built its main workshops in Haifa . 
 By 1945 the population had shifted to 33 percent Muslim , 20 percent Christian and 47 percent Jewish . In 1947 , about 70 @,@ 910 Arabs ( 41 @,@ 000 Muslims , 29 @,@ 910 Christians ) and 74 @,@ 230 Jews were living there . The Christian community were mostly Greek @-@ <unk> Catholics . 
 The 1947 UN Partition Plan in late November 1947 designated Haifa as part of the proposed Jewish state . Arab protests over that decision evolved into violence between Jews and Arabs that left several dozen people dead during December . On 30 December 1947 , members of the <unk> , a Jewish underground militia , threw bombs into a crowd of Arabs outside the gates of the Consolidated <unk> in Haifa , killing six and injuring 42 . In response Arab employees of the company killed 39 Jewish employees in what became known as the Haifa Oil <unk> massacre . The Jewish <unk> militia retaliated with a raid on the Arab village of Balad al @-@ <unk> , where many of the Arab refinery workers lived , in what became known as the Balad al @-@ <unk> massacre . Control of Haifa was critical in the ensuing civil war , since it was the major industrial and oil refinery port in British Palestine . 
 British forces in Haifa redeployed on 21 April 1948 , withdrawing from most of the city while still maintaining control over the port facilities . Two days later the downtown , controlled by a combination of local and foreign ( <unk> ) Arab <unk> was assaulted by Jewish forces in Operation Bi <unk> <unk> , by the <unk> Brigade of the <unk> , commanded by Moshe Carmel . The operation led to a massive displacement of Haifa 's Arab population . According to The Economist at the time , only 5 @,@ 000 – 6 @,@ 000 of the city 's 62 @,@ 000 Arabs remained there by 2 October 1948 . 
 Contemporaneous sources emphasized the Jewish leadership 's attempt to stop the Arab exodus from the city and the Arab leadership as a motivating factor in the refugees ' flight . According to the British district superintendent of police , " Every effort is being made by the Jews to persuade the Arab populace to stay and carry on with their normal lives , to get their shops and business open and to be assured that their lives and interests will be safe . " Time Magazine wrote on 3 May 1948 : 
 The mass evacuation , prompted partly by fear , partly by orders of Arab leaders , left the Arab quarter of Haifa a ghost city ... By withdrawing Arab workers their leaders hoped to <unk> Haifa . 
 Benny Morris said Haifa 's Arabs left due to of a combination of Zionist threats and encouragement to do so by Arab leaders . Ilan <unk> writes that the shelling culminated in an attack on a Palestinian crowd in the old marketplace using three @-@ inch ( 76 mm ) mortars on 22 April 1948 . Shabtai Levy , the Mayor of the city , and some other Jewish leaders urged Arabs not to leave . According to Ilan <unk> , Jewish <unk> could be heard in the city ordering Arab residents to leave " before it 's too late . " Morris quotes British sources as stating that during the battles between 22 and 23 April 100 Arabs were killed and 100 wounded , but he adds that the total may have been higher . 
 
 = = = State of Israel = = = 
 
 After the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948 Haifa became the gateway for Jewish immigration into Israel . During the 1948 Arab – Israeli War , the neighborhoods of Haifa were sometimes contested . After the war , Jewish immigrants were settled in new neighborhoods , among them Kiryat <unk> , Ramot <unk> , Ramat <unk> , Kiryat <unk> , and Kiryat Eliezer . <unk> <unk> Hospital ( formerly Rothschild Hospital ) and the Central Synagogue in Hadar <unk> date from this period . In 1953 , a master plan was created for transportation and the future architectural layout . 
 In 1959 , a group of <unk> and <unk> Jews , mostly Moroccan Jews , <unk> in Wadi Salib , claiming the state was <unk> against them . Their demand for “ bread and work ” was directed at the state institutions and what they viewed as an <unk> elite in the Labor Party and the <unk> . 
 Tel Aviv gained in status , while Haifa suffered a decline in the role as regional capital . The opening of Ashdod as a port exacerbated this . Tourism shrank when the Israeli Ministry of Tourism placed emphasis on developing Tiberias as a tourist centre . 
 Nevertheless , Haifa 's population had reached 200 @,@ 000 by the early 1970s , and mass immigration from the former Soviet Union boosted the population by a further 35 @,@ 000 . 
 Many of Wadi Salib 's historic Ottoman buildings have now been demolished , and in the 1990s a major section of the Old City was razed to make way for a new municipal center . 
 From 1999 to 2003 , several Palestinian suicide attacks took place in Haifa ( in Maxim and <unk> restaurants , bus 37 , and others ) , killing 68 civilians . 
 In 2006 , Haifa was hit by 93 Hezbollah rockets during the Second Lebanon War , killing 11 civilians and leading to half of the city 's population fleeing at the end of the first week of the war . Among the places hit by rockets were a train depot and the oil refinery complex . 
 
 = = Demographics = = 
 
 Haifa is Israel 's third @-@ largest city , consisting of 103 @,@ 000 households , or a population of 266 @,@ 300 . <unk> from the former Soviet Union constitute 25 % of Haifa 's population . According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics , Israeli Arabs constitute 10 % of Haifa 's population , the majority living in Wadi Nisnas , <unk> and <unk> neighborhoods . 
 Haifa is commonly portrayed as a model of co @-@ existence between Arabs and Jews , although tensions and hostility do still exist . 
 Between 1994 and 2009 , the city had a declining and aging population compared to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem , as young people moved to the center of the country for education and jobs , while young families migrated to bedroom communities in the suburbs . However , as a result of new projects and improving infrastructure , the city managed to reverse its population decline , reducing emigration while attracting more internal migration into the city . In 2009 , positive net immigration into the city was shown for the first time in 15 years . 
 
 = = = Religious and ethnic communities = = = 
 
 The population is heterogeneous . Jews comprise some 82 % of the population , almost 14 % are Christians ( the majority of whom are Arab Christians ) and , some 4 % are Muslims ( of which many are <unk> ) . Haifa also includes <unk> and Bahá 'í communities . In 2006 , 27 % of the Arab population was aged 14 and under , compared to 17 % of the Jewish and other population groups . The trend continues in the age 15 @-@ 29 group , in which 27 % of the Arab population is found , and the age 30 @-@ 44 group ( 23 % ) . The population of Jews and others in these age groups are 22 % and 18 % respectively . Nineteen percent of the city 's Jewish and other population is between 45 and 59 , compared to 14 % of the Arab population . This continues with 14 % of Jews and others aged 60 – 74 and 10 % over age 75 , in comparison to 7 % and just 2 % respectively in the Arab population . 
 In 2006 , 2 @.@ 9 % of the Jews in the city were <unk> , compared to 7 @.@ 5 % on a national scale . However , the <unk> community in Haifa is growing fast due to a high fertility rate . 66 @.@ 6 % were secular , compared to a national average of 43 @.@ 7 % . A significant portion of the immigrants from the former Soviet Union either lack official religious @-@ ethnic classification or are Non @-@ Jews as they are from mixed @-@ marriage families of some Jewish origin . There is also a Scandinavian Seamen Protestant church , established by Norwegian <unk> Among the Nations pastor Per Faye @-@ Hansen . 
 Haifa is the center of liberal Palestinian culture , as it was under British colonial rule . The Palestinian neighborhoods , which are mixed Muslim and Christian , are in the lowlands near the sea while Jewish neighborhoods are at higher elevation . An active Palestinian cultural life has developed in the 21st century . 
 
 = = Geography = = 
 
 Haifa is situated on the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain , the historic land bridge between Europe , Africa , and Asia , and the mouth of the Kishon River . Located on the northern slopes of Mount Carmel and around Haifa Bay , the city is split over three tiers . The lowest is the center of commerce and industry including the Port of Haifa . The middle level is on the slopes of Mount Carmel and consists of older residential neighborhoods , while the upper level consists of modern neighborhoods looking over the lower tiers . From here views can be had across the Western Galilee region of Israel towards <unk> <unk> and the Lebanese border . Haifa is about 90 kilometers ( 55 @.@ 9 mi ) north of the city of Tel Aviv , and has a large number of beaches on the Mediterranean . 
 
 = = Flora and fauna = = 
 
 The Carmel Mountain has three main <unk> : <unk> , <unk> and Si ’ <unk> . For the most part these valleys are undeveloped natural corridors that run up through the city from the coast to the top of the mountain . <unk> hiking paths traverse these areas and they provide habitat for wildlife such as wild <unk> , golden <unk> , <unk> , Egyptian <unk> , owls and <unk> . 
 
 = = Climate = = 
 
 Haifa has a hot @-@ summer Mediterranean climate with hot , dry summers and cool , rainy winters ( Köppen climate classification <unk> ) . Spring arrives in March when temperatures begin to increase . By late May , the temperature has warmed up considerably to herald warm summer days . The average temperature in summer is 26 ° C ( 79 ° F ) and in winter , 12 ° C ( 54 ° F ) . Snow is rare in Haifa , but temperatures around 3 ° C ( 37 ° F ) can sometimes occur , usually in the early morning . <unk> tends to be high all year round , and rain usually occurs between September and May . Annual precipitation is approximately <unk> millimeters ( 25 in ) . 
 
 = = <unk> = = 
 
 Haifa has developed in tiers , from the lower to the upper city on the Carmel . The oldest neighborhood in the modern Haifa is Wadi Salib , the Old City center near the port , which has been <unk> by a major road and razed in part to make way for government buildings . Wadi Salib stretches across to Wadi Nisnas , the center of Arab life in Haifa today . In the 19th century , under Ottoman rule , the German Colony was built , providing the first model of urban planning in Haifa . Some of the buildings have been restored and the colony has turned into a center of Haifa nightlife . 
 The first buildings in Hadar were constructed at the start of the 20th century . Hadar was Haifa 's cultural center and marketplace throughout the 1920s and into the 1980s , <unk> above and around the Haifa 's Arab neighborhoods . Today Hadar stretches from the port area near the bay , approximately halfway up Mount Carmel , around the German Colony , Wadi Nisnas and Wadi Salib . Hadar houses two commercial centers ( one in the port area , and one midway up the mountain ) surrounded by some of the city 's older neighborhoods . 
 Neve Sha 'anan , a neighborhood located on the second tier of Mount Carmel , was founded in the 1920s . West of the port are the neighborhoods of Bat Galim , Shikmona Beach , and Kiryat Eliezer . To the west and east of Hadar are the Arab neighborhoods of <unk> and <unk> , built in the 1960s and 70s . To the south of Mount Carmel 's headland , along the road to Tel Aviv , are the neighborhoods of Ein <unk> , <unk> <unk> , Kiryat <unk> and Neve David . 
 Above Hadar are affluent neighborhoods such as the Carmel <unk> ( French Carmel ) , Merkaz Ha 'Carmel , <unk> , <unk> Ha 'Carmel ( <unk> ) , <unk> , <unk> , Ramat <unk> , Ramat <unk> and Hod Ha 'Carmel ( <unk> ) . While there are general divisions between Arab and Jewish neighborhoods , there is an increasing trend for wealthy Arabs to move into affluent Jewish neighborhoods . Another of the Carmel neighborhoods is <unk> , home to the National Headquarters of Israel 's <unk> Muslim Community ; located near Merkaz HaCarmel and overlooking the coast . 
 
 = = Urban development = = 
 
 Recently , residential construction has been concentrated around Kiryat <unk> and Kiryat <unk> , with 75 @,@ 000 m2 ( <unk> @,@ 293 sq ft ) of new residential construction between 2002 – 2004 , the Carmel , with 70 @,@ 000 m2 ( <unk> @,@ <unk> sq ft ) , and Ramot Neve Sha 'anan with approximately 70 @,@ 000 m2 ( <unk> @,@ <unk> sq ft ) Non @-@ residential construction was highest in the Lower Town , ( 90 @,@ 000 sq m ) , Haifa Bay ( 72 @,@ 000 sq m ) and Ramot Neve Sha 'anan ( 54 @,@ 000 sq m ) . In 2004 , 80 % of construction in the city was private . 
 Currently , the city has a modest number of <unk> and high @-@ rise buildings , and many additional high @-@ rise buildings are planned , have been approved , or are under construction . Though buildings rising up to 20 stories were built on Mount Carmel in the past , the Haifa municipality banned the construction of any new buildings taller than nine stories on Mount Carmel in July 2012 . 
 The neighborhood of Wadi Salib , located in the heart of downtown Haifa , is being redeveloped . Most of its Jewish and Arab residents are considered squatters and have been gradually evicted over the years . The Haifa Economic Corporation Ltd is developing two 1 @,@ 000 square meter lots for office and commercial use . Some historic buildings have been renovated and redeveloped , especially into nightclubs and theaters , such as the Palace of the Pasha , a Turkish <unk> , and a Middle Eastern music and dance club , which has been converted into theaters and offices . 
 In 2012 , a new , massive development plan was announced for Haifa 's waterfront . According to the plan , the western section of the city 's port will be torn down , and all port activity will be moved to the east . The west side of the port will be transformed into a tourism and nightlife center and a point of embarkation and arrival for sea travel through the construction of public spaces , a beach promenade , and the renovation of commercial buildings . The train tracks that currently <unk> the city and separate the city 's beach from the rest of Haifa will also be buried . A park will be developed on the border of the Kishon River , the refineries ' cooling towers will be turned into a visitors ' center , and bridges will lead from the port to the rest of the city . Massive renovations are also currently underway in Haifa 's lower town , in the Turkish market and Paris Square , which will become the city 's business center . In addition , the ammonia <unk> tank in the Haifa bay industrial zone will be dismantled , and a new one built in an alternative location . 
 Another plan seeks to turn the western section of Haifa Port into a major tourism and nightlife center , as well as a functioning point of embarkation and arrival for sea travel . All port activity will be moved to the western side , and the area will be redeveloped . Public spaces and a beach promenade will be developed , and commercial buildings will be renovated . 
 As part of the development plans , the Israeli Navy , which has a large presence in Haifa , will withdraw from the shoreline between Bat Galim and Hof <unk> . A 5 @-@ kilometer ( 3 @.@ 1 @-@ mile ) long esplanade which will encircle the shoreline will be constructed . It will include a bicycle path , and possibly also a small bridge under which navy vessels will pass on their way to the sea . 
 In addition , a 50 @,@ 000 square @-@ meter entertainment complex that will contain a Disney theme park , cinemas , shops , and a 25 @-@ screen <unk> theater will be built at the Check Post exit from the Carmel <unk> . 
 In 2014 , a new major plan for the city was proposed , under which extensive development of residential , business , and leisure areas will take place with the target of increasing the city 's population by 60 @,@ 000 by <unk> . Under the plan , five new neighborhoods will be built , along with new high @-@ tech parks . In addition , existing employment centers will be renovated , and new leisure areas and a large park will be built . 
 
 = = Economy = = 
 
 The common Israeli saying , " Haifa works , Jerusalem prays , and Tel Aviv plays " attests to Haifa 's reputation as a city of workers and industry . The industrial region of Haifa is in the eastern part of the city , around the Kishon River . It is home to the Haifa oil refinery , one of the two oil refineries in Israel ( the other refinery being located in Ashdod ) . The Haifa refinery processes 9 million tons ( 66 million barrels ) of crude oil a year . Its <unk> unused twin 80 @-@ meter high cooling towers , built in the 1930s , were the tallest buildings built in the British Mandate period . 
 Matam ( short for Merkaz Ta <unk> <unk> - Scientific Industries Center ) , the largest and oldest business park in Israel , is at the southern entrance to the city , hosting manufacturing and R & D facilities for a large number of Israeli and international hi @-@ tech companies , such as Intel , IBM , Microsoft , <unk> , Google , Yahoo ! , <unk> , <unk> , Philips , and <unk> . The campus of the University of Haifa is also home to IBM Haifa Labs . 
 The Port of Haifa is the leader in passenger traffic among Israeli ports , and is also a major cargo harbor , although <unk> has seen its dominance challenged by the Port of Ashdod . 
 Haifa malls and shopping centers include <unk> <unk> , <unk> Center Mall , <unk> Center , <unk> Center , Colony Center ( Lev <unk> ) , <unk> 'im Tower Mall , <unk> Haifa , Lev <unk> Mall and Grand <unk> . 
 In 2010 , <unk> magazine identified Haifa as the city with the most promising business potential , with the greatest investment opportunities in the world . The magazine noted that " a massive head @-@ to @-@ toe regeneration is starting to have an impact ; from scaffolding and cranes around town , to renovated façades and new smart places to eat " . The Haifa municipality had spent more than $ 350 million on roads and infrastructure , and the number of building permits had risen 83 % in the previous two years . 
 In 2014 , it was announced that a technology @-@ focused stock exchange would be established to compete with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange . 
 Currently , some 40 hotels , mostly <unk> hotels , are planned , have been approved , or are under construction . The Haifa Municipality is seeking to turn the city into Northern Israel 's tourist center , from where travelers can embark on day trips into Acre , Nazareth , Tiberias , and the Galilee . 
 A new life sciences industrial park containing five buildings with 85 @,@ 000 square meters of space on a 31 @-@ <unk> ( 7 @.@ 75 acre ) site is being built adjacent to the Matam industrial park . 
 
 = = = Tourism = = = 
 
 In 2005 , Haifa has 13 hotels with a total of 1 @,@ 462 rooms . The city has a 17 kilometres ( 11 mi ) shoreline , of which 5 kilometres ( 3 mi ) are beaches . Haifa 's main tourist attraction is the Bahá 'í World Centre , with the golden @-@ domed Shrine of the <unk> and the surrounding gardens . Between 2005 and 2006 , 86 @,@ <unk> visited the shrine . In 2008 , the Bahá 'í gardens were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The restored German Colony , founded by the Templers , Stella Maris and Elijah 's Cave also draw many tourists . 
 Located in the Haifa district are the Ein Hod artists ' colony , where over 90 artists and craftsmen have studios and exhibitions , and the Mount Carmel national park , with caves where <unk> and early <unk> <unk> remains were found . 
 A 2007 report commissioned by the Haifa Municipality calls for the construction of more hotels , a ferry line between Haifa , Acre and Caesarea , development of the western anchorage of the port as a recreation and entertainment area , and an expansion of the local airport and port to accommodate international travel and cruise ships . 
 
 = = Arts and culture = = 
 
 Despite its image as a port and industrial city , Haifa is the cultural hub of northern Israel . During the 1950s , mayor Abba <unk> made a special effort to encourage authors and poets to move to the city , and founded the Haifa Theatre , a repertory theater , the first municipal theater founded in the country . The principal Arabic theater <unk> the northern Arab population is the al @-@ <unk> Theater . Other theaters in the city include the <unk> Centre for the Performing Arts and the <unk> Art and Culture Center . The Congress Center hosts exhibitions , concerts and special events . 
 The New Haifa Symphony Orchestra , established in 1950 , has more than 5 @,@ 000 subscribers . In 2004 , 49 @,@ 000 people attended its concerts . The Haifa <unk> , founded in 1975 , hosts the annual Haifa International Film Festival during the intermediate days of the <unk> holiday . Haifa has 29 movie theaters . The city publishes a local newspaper , <unk> Haifa , and has its own radio station , Radio Haifa . 
 During the 1990s , Haifa hosted the Haifa Rock & Blues Festival featuring Bob Dylan , Nick Cave , <unk> and <unk> Harvey . The last festival was held in 1995 with <unk> Crow , <unk> and Faith No More as <unk> . 
 
 = = = Museums = = = 
 
 Haifa has over a dozen museums . The most popular museum is the Israel National Museum of Science , Technology , and Space , which recorded almost 150 @,@ 000 visitors in 2004 . The museum is located in the historic Technion building in the Hadar neighborhood . The Haifa Museum of Art houses a collection of modern and classical art , as well as displays on the history of Haifa . The <unk> Museum of Japanese Art is the only museum in the Middle East dedicated solely to Japanese art . Other museums in Haifa include the Museum of <unk> , the National Maritime Museum and Haifa City Museum , the Hecht Museum , the <unk> Archaeological Museum of Grain <unk> , the Railway Museum , the <unk> Immigration and Navy Museum , the Israeli Oil Industry Museum , and <unk> Artists ' House . As part of his campaign to bring culture to Haifa , Mayor Abba <unk> provided the artist <unk> @-@ Katz with a building on Mount Carmel to house his collection of <unk> , which is now a museum . The Haifa Educational Zoo at <unk> <unk> park houses a small animal collection including Syrian brown bears , now extinct from Israel . <unk> the zoo is the <unk> House biology institute . In the close vicinity of Haifa , on the Carmel , the Northern " Hai @-@ Bar " ( " wild life " ) operated by Israel 's Parks and Reserves Authority for the purpose of breeding and reintroduction of species now extinct from Israel , such as Persian <unk> Deer . 
 
 = = Government = = 
 
 As an industrial port city , Haifa has traditionally been a Labor party stronghold . The strong presence of dock workers and trade unions earned it the nickname ' Red Haifa . ' In addition , many prominent Arabs in the Israeli Communist Party , among them <unk> <unk> , Emile <unk> , <unk> <unk> , <unk> Farah and Emile <unk> , were from Haifa . 
 In recent years , there has been a drift toward the center . This was best signified by , in the 2006 legislative elections , the <unk> party receiving about 28 @.@ 9 % of the votes in Haifa , and Labor <unk> behind with 16 @.@ 9 % . 
 Before 1948 , Haifa 's Municipality was fairly unusual as it developed cooperation between the mixed Arab and Jewish community in the city , with representatives of both groups involved in the city 's management . Under mayor al @-@ <unk> , between 1920 and 1927 , the city council had six Arab and two Jewish representatives , with the city run as a mixed municipality with overall Arab control . Greater cooperation was introduced under <unk> <unk> <unk> , who adopted a positive and <unk> attitude toward the city 's Jews and gave them senior posts in the municipality . In 1940 , the first Jewish mayor , Shabtai Levy , was elected . Levy 's two deputies were Arab ( one Muslim , the other Christian ) , with the remainder of the council made up of four Jews and six Arabs . 
 Today , Haifa is governed by its 12th city council , headed by the mayor <unk> <unk> . The results of municipal elections decide on the makeup of the council , similarly to the <unk> elections . The city council is the legislative council in the city , and has the authority to pass auxiliary laws . The 12th council , which was elected in 2003 , has 31 members , with the liberal <unk> @-@ Greens ticket holding the most seats ( 6 ) , and <unk> coming second with 5 . Many of the decisions passed by the city council are results of recommendation made by the various municipal committees , which are committees where non @-@ municipal organs meet with representatives from the city council . Some committees are spontaneous , but some are mandatory , such as the security committee , tender committee and financial committee . 
 
 = = = <unk> = = = 
 
 
 = = Medical facilities = = 
 
 Haifa medical facilities have a total of 4 @,@ 000 hospital beds . The largest hospital is the government @-@ operated Rambam Hospital with 900 beds and 78 @,@ 000 admissions in 2004 . <unk> <unk> Hospital and Carmel Hospital each have 400 beds . Other hospitals in the city include the Italian Hospital , <unk> Hospital ( 100 beds ) , <unk> Medical Center ( 36 beds ) and Ramat <unk> ( 18 beds ) . Haifa has 20 family health centers . In 2004 , there were a total of 177 @,@ 478 hospital admissions . 
 Rambam Medical Center was in the direct line of fire during the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and was forced to take special precautions to protect its patients . Whole wings of the hospital were moved to large underground shelters . 
 
 = = Education = = 
 
 Haifa is home to two internationally acclaimed universities and several colleges The University of Haifa , founded in 1963 , is at the top of Mt . Carmel . The campus was designed by the architect of Brasília and United Nations Headquarters in New York , Oscar <unk> . The top floor of the 30 @-@ story <unk> Tower provides a panoramic view of northern Israel . The Hecht Museum , with important <unk> and art collections , is on the campus of Haifa University . 
 The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , described as Israel 's MIT , was founded in 1912 . It has 18 faculties and 42 research institutes . The original building now houses Haifa 's science museum . The Hebrew <unk> School was founded in 1913 . It is the largest k @-@ 12 school in Israel , with 4 @,@ 000 students in 7 branches , all over the city . The first technological high school in Israel , <unk> , was established in Haifa in 1933 . 
 Other academic institutions in Haifa are the Gordon College of Education and Sha 'anan Religious Teachers ' College , the <unk> Haifa Academy of Design and Education , and <unk> College of Design . The <unk> <unk> College of Management and the Open University of Israel have branches in Haifa . The city also has a nursing college and the <unk> <unk> Engineering School . 
 As of 2006 – 07 , Haifa had 70 elementary schools , 23 middle schools , 28 academic high schools and 8 vocational high schools . There were 5 @,@ 133 pupils in municipal <unk> , 20 @,@ 081 in elementary schools , 7 @,@ 911 in middle schools , 8 @,@ <unk> in academic high schools , 2 @,@ <unk> in vocational high schools , and 2 @,@ <unk> in comprehensive district high schools . 86 % of the students attended Hebrew @-@ speaking schools and 14 % attended Arab schools . 5 % were in special education . In 2004 , Haifa had 16 municipal libraries <unk> 367 @,@ 323 books . 
 Two prestigious Arab schools in Haifa are the Orthodox School , run by the Greek Orthodox church , and the Nazareth Nuns ' School , a Catholic institution . 
 
 = = Transportation = = 
 
 Haifa is served by six railway stations and the Carmelit , currently Israel 's only subway system ( another is under construction in Tel Aviv ) . The <unk> – Tel Aviv Coastal Railway main line of Israel Railways runs along the coast of the Gulf of Haifa and has six stations within the city . From south @-@ west to north @-@ east , these stations are : Haifa Hof HaCarmel , Haifa Bat Galim , Haifa Merkaz <unk> , Lev HaMifratz , <unk> HaMifratz and Kiryat <unk> . Together with the Kiryat Motzkin Railway Station in the northern suburb Kiryat Motzkin , they form the Haifa - Krayot suburban line ( " <unk> " ) . There are direct trains from Haifa to Tel Aviv , Ben Gurion International Airport , <unk> , <unk> , Kiryat Motzkin , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , Beit <unk> , Jerusalem and other locations , but all trains to Beersheba <unk> all Haifa stations 
 Haifa 's intercity bus connections are operated almost exclusively by the Egged bus company , which operates two terminals : 
 HaMifratz Central Bus Station , adjacent to the Lev HaMifratz Railway Station 
 Haifa Hof HaCarmel Central Bus Station , adjacent to the Hof HaCarmel Railway Station 
 Lines to the North of the country use HaMifratz Central Bus Station and their coverage includes most towns in the North of Israel . Lines heading south use Haifa Hof HaCarmel Central Bus Station . 
 Destinations directly reachable from Hof HaCarmel CBS include Tel Aviv , Jerusalem , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> Ya <unk> , Atlit , Tirat Carmel , Ben Gurion International Airport and intermediate communities . There are also three Egged lines that have their terminus in the Ramat <unk> neighborhood and run to Jerusalem , <unk> <unk> and Ashdod . These used to be " <unk> " ( i.e. gender segregated ) lines . 
 All urban lines are run by Egged . There are also share taxis that run along some bus routes but do not have an official schedule . In 2006 , Haifa implemented a trial network of neighborhood mini @-@ buses – named " <unk> " and run by Egged . In December 2012 , <unk> , an <unk> and taxi service which allows users to hail a cab using their <unk> without <unk> the taxi station by identifying and summoning the closest taxi . In the current initial phase , 50 taxis from the service are operating in Haifa . 
 Haifa and the Krayot suburbs also have a new <unk> concept bus rapid transit system called the <unk> . These buses , operating with hybrid engines , follow optical strips embedded in designated lanes of roads , providing tram @-@ like public transportation services . The <unk> consists of 100 18 @-@ meter buses , each with the capacity for 150 passengers , operating along 40 km ( 25 mi ) of designated roadways . The new system officially opened on 16 August 2013 serving three lines . 
 Haifa is one of the few cities in Israel where buses operate on <unk> . Bus lines operate throughout the city on a reduced schedule from late Saturday morning onwards , and also connect Haifa with Nesher , Tirat <unk> , <unk> , Nazareth , Nazareth <unk> and intermediate communities . Since the summer of 2008 , night buses are operated by Egged in Haifa ( line 200 ) and the Krayot suburbs ( line 210 ) . During the summer of 2008 these lines operated 7 nights a week . During the winter their schedule is limited to Thursday , Friday and Saturday nights , making them the only buses in Israel to operate on Friday night . Haifa is also the only city in Israel to operate a Saturday bus service to the beaches during summer time . Egged lines run during Saturday mornings from many neighborhoods to the <unk> and Bat Galim beaches , and back in the afternoon . 
 The Haifa underground railway system is called Carmelit . It is a subterranean <unk> on rails , running from downtown Paris Square to <unk> <unk> ( Mother 's Park ) on Mount Carmel . With a single track , six stations and two trains , it is listed in Guinness World Records as the world 's shortest metro line . The Carmelit accommodates <unk> . 
 Haifa also has a cable car . The Haifa Cable Car <unk> lift consists of six cabins and connects Bat Galim on the coast to the Stella Maris observation deck and monastery atop Mount Carmel . It serves mainly tourists . There are currently plans to add a 4 @.@ 4 kilometre commuter cable car service to Haifa 's public transport system , running from HaMifratz Central Bus Station at the foot of Mount Carmel to the Technion , and then to the University of Haifa . 
 
 = = = Air and sea transport = = = 
 
 Haifa Airport serves domestic flights to Tel Aviv and <unk> as well as international charters to Cyprus , Greece and Jordan . The <unk> that operates flights from Haifa are <unk> and <unk> . There are currently plans to expand services from Haifa . Cruise ships operate from Haifa port primarily to destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean , Southern Europe and Black Sea . 
 
 = = = Roads = = = 
 
 Travel between Haifa and the center of the country is possible by road with Highway 2 , the main highway along the coastal plain , beginning at Tel Aviv and ending at Haifa . Furthermore , Highway 4 runs along the coast to the north of Haifa , as well as south , inland from Highway 2 . In the past , traffic along Highway 2 to the north of Haifa had to pass through the downtown area of the city ; the Carmel <unk> , opened for traffic 1 December 2010 , now route this traffic under Mount Carmel , reducing congestion in the downtown area . 
 
 = = Sports = = 
 
 The main stadiums in Haifa are the 14 @,@ 002 @-@ seat Kiryat Eliezer Stadium and Thomas D <unk> Stadium . Neve Sha 'anan Athletic Stadium seats 1 @,@ 000 . Construction of the Sammy <unk> Stadium , a UEFA @-@ approved 30 @,@ 820 seat stadium was completed in 2014 . 
 The city 's two main football clubs are Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Haifa who both currently play in the Israeli Premier League and share the Sammy <unk> Stadium as their home pitch . Maccabi has won twelve Israeli titles , while Hapoel has won one . 
 The city also has an American football club , the Haifa <unk> , that are a part of the Israeli Football League and play in <unk> Stadium . The team lost in the championship game of the league 's inaugural season , but won one title as part of American Football Israel , which merged with the Israeli Football League in 2005 . 
 The city has several clubs in the regional leagues , including <unk> Haifa in Liga Bet ( the fourth tier ) and Hapoel <unk> Haifa , F.C. Haifa Ruby <unk> and Maccabi Neve Sha 'anan <unk> in Liga <unk> ( the fifth tier ) . 
 Haifa has a professional basketball club , Maccabi Haifa . Maccabi Haifa was recently promoted to Israeli Basketball Super League , the top division . The team plays at <unk> Arena , which seats 5 @,@ 000 . 
 The Haifa Hawks are an ice hockey team based out of the city of Haifa . They participate in the Israeli League , the top level of Israeli ice hockey . 
 In 1996 , the city hosted the World <unk> Championship . The Haifa Tennis Club , near the southwest entrance to the city , is one of the largest in Israel . John <unk> , Olympic horse breeder and owner of triple cup champion <unk> was born here . 
 
 = = Twin towns - sister cities = = 
 
 Haifa is twinned with the following cities : 
 
 