Afula, Israel

Living in a city just 10km from the West Bank brings sobering security realities that have shaped local life, from terror incidents in the 1990s-2000s to ongoing demographic tensions. This northern Israeli city of 51,700 grapples with its identity at the crossroads of the Jezreel Valley.

Originally a small Arab village that was purchased and redeveloped in 1925, Afula transformed through waves of Jewish immigration - first from Iraq, Yemen and Romania in the late 1940s, then from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. The city's strategic location and transport links, including a restored rail connection to Haifa opened in 2016, have supported steady growth. Modern Afula is anchored by the Alon Tavor Industrial Zone, home to major manufacturers like Tadiran and Keter Plastic, and the HaEmek Medical Center, a regional hospital serving 700,000 residents.