| State: | Israel |
Hazor Stream (he|נחל חצור, romanised Nahal Hazor, lit. Hazor Stream; also spelled Hatzor, Hatsor),[1] called Wadi Ashbabik (lit. Window Stream) in Arabic[2] is an intermittent stream located in the Upper Galilee within a nature reserve spanning 4,500 dunams. It begins near Mount Ben Zimra on the Dalton Plateau and initially flows northeast before continuing southeast. In the past, Hazor Stream flowed into the southern end of the Hula Valley before it was drained.[1]
In the central part of the stream, there is a canyon with many caves, including Alma Cave, which has a large entrance that branches into large passages filled with stalactites and stalagmites. East of the canyon, the stream bed follows a geological fault line. It crosses low hills made of limestone and, passing through Tel Hazor and Kibbutz Ayelet HaShahar, the stream flows into the Jordan River. The cliff has caves and niches resembling windows, which is why the stream's Arabic name is "Wadi Ashbabik"—the Window Stream. Most of the caves were formed through karstic dissolution processes, but some were carved by humans for dwelling and living purposes. The central part of the stream contains remnants indicating significant human activity in the past, including ancient quarries and residential caves. To the north of the stream lie the ruins of the ancient settlement of Marot.[2]