List of rivers of Israel
This is a list of rivers of Israel. This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name.
Nahal (Hebrew) and Wadi (Arabic) commonly translate to Stream, more seldom River.
Streams entirely on the West Bank are not listed here.
Mediterranean Sea[edit]
Rivers emptying into the Mediterranean Sea, listed from north to south.
- Nahal Betzet (Arabic: Wadi Karkara)
- Nahal Kziv (Arabic: Wadi al-Qarn)
- Ga'aton River
- Na'aman River (Hebrew: Nahal Na'aman, Arabic: Nahr al-Na'mein), ancient Belus River
- Kishon River
- Nahal Ma'apilim (Arabic: Wadi Abu Alhiya), formerly Nahal Nahash
- Nahal Taninim (Arabic: Wadi az-Zarqa)
- Hadera Stream (Arabic: Nahr Akhdar)
- Nahal Alexander
- Nahal Poleg (Arabic: Wadi al-Faliq)
- Yarkon River
- Wadi Qana or Qanah (Hebrew: Nahal Qanah)
- Ayalon River (Arabic: Wadi Musrara)
- Nahal Shiloh (Arabic: Wadi Amuriya)
- Nahal Sorek (Arabic: Wadi al-Sarar)
- Lakhish River (Arabic: Wadi Suqrir)
- Nahal Shikma or Shiqma (Arabic: Wadi el-Hesi), location of an important First World War-time battle
- HaBesor Stream (Arabic: Wadi Ghazzeh/Gaza [downstream] and Wadi esh-Shallaleh [upstream])
- Nahal Gerar (Arabic: Wadi esh-Sheri'a / Wady el Sharia)
- Nahal Be'er Sheva
- Nahal Hevron (English: Hebron River or Stream, Arabic: Wadi al-Samen or Wadi al-Khalil)
Dead Sea[edit]
Rivers emptying into the Dead Sea. Tributaries of the Jordan River are listed north to south, where needed east to west.
Jordan River and its tributaries[edit]
From the foothills of Mount Hermon and South Lebanon[edit]
- Banias River (Hebrew: Nahal Hermon)
- Dan River
- Hasbani River (Hebrew: Nahal Snir)
- Nahal Ayun
From the Galilee to the Upper Jordan River[edit]
- Nahal Dishon (Arabic: Wadi al-Hindaj)
- Nahal Hazor
- Nahal Mahanayim
From the Golan to the Upper Jordan Valley (Hula V.)[edit]
From the Golan to the Sea of Galilee[edit]
The Golan Heights, by international law, are part of Syria. Much of the region has been annexed by Israel, a move only recognised by the United States. Some of the Golan Heights streams cross into internationally recognised Israeli territory, while some don't. For the sake of a comprehensive hydrological overview, the Golan tributaries of the Jordan River via the lake are tentatively listed here for now.
Five streams - the Jordan plus four more - run through the Bethsaida Valley (Batikha or Buteikha in Arabic), the first four forming the Meshushim and Zaki Lagoons before reaching the Sea of Galilee.
- Meshushim River (Hebrew), Wadi el-Hawa/Fakhura/Zaki (Arabic)
- Katzrin Stream (intermittent)
- Zavitan Stream
- Yosifon Stream (Nahal Yosifon)
- Yehudiya River (see Yehudiya, Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve)
- Daliyot River
- Gamla Stream (Nahal Gamla)
- Bazelet Stream (Nahal Bazelet)
- Gamla Stream (Nahal Gamla)
- Sfamnun Stream
- Kanaf Stream
- Samakh Stream
- El Al Stream (Nahal El Al)
- En Gev Stream (Nahal En Gev)
- Metzar/Meitsar Stream (Nahal Metzar)
- Meshushim River (Hebrew), Wadi el-Hawa/Fakhura/Zaki (Arabic)
From the Galilee to the Sea of Galilee[edit]
- Nahal Korazim
- Nahal Amud (Arabic: Wadi al-Amud)
- Nahal Tzalmon or Zalmon (Arabic: Wadi al-Rubudiyeh)
- Nahal Arbel (Arabic: Wadi al-Hamam)
From the Galilee to the Lower Jordan River[edit]
- Nahal Yavne’el (Arabic: Wadi Fidjdjas, sometimes spelled Fijas)
- Yarmouk River
- Nahal Tavor (English: Tabor Stream, Tavor Stream)
- Nahal Yissakhar
From the Valleys to the Jordan River[edit]
- Harod Stream ("Nahal Harod", "Wadi Jalud" in Arabic)
The West Bank tributaries are not listed here. This concerns creeks entirely on the West Bank, from spring to the Dead Sea.
From the Judaean desert to the Dead Sea[edit]
- Nahal Yishai (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal David, Wadi Sdeir (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal Arugot (West Bank and Israel); Arabic names: Wadi el-Jihar (upper course), Wadi el-Ghar (central section) und Wadi Areijeh (lower course)
- Nahal Tsruya (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal Hever (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal Asa'el (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal Mishmar (mostly Israel)
- Nahal Miflat (Israel)
- Tze'elim Stream (Israel)
- Nahal Keresh (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal Harduf (West Bank and Israel)
- Nahal Shafan (West Bank and Israel); receives the waters of Nahal Arnav, Nahal Adashah.
- Nahal Adashah (West Bank and Israel); receives the waters of Nahal Betah, Nahal Hardon, Nahal Nazir, Nahal Hatzron, Nahal Badar.
From the Negev to the Dead Sea[edit]
- Nahal Zin, related to the Zin Desert
Negev to Arava Valley to the Dead Sea[edit]
Red Sea (Gulf of Eilat)[edit]
Streams emptying into the Gulf of Eilat of the Red Sea.
- Nahal Shahmon
- Nahal Shlomo (lit. Solomon Stream)
References[edit]
- Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993.
- GEOnet Names Server
