How does the Plain of Esdraelon connect Israel’s coastal plain to the Great Rift Valley?

The Plain of Esdraelon (also known as the Jezreel Valley) serves as a vital geographic corridor in northern Israel, running approximately northwest to southeast between the mountains of Galilee and the hills of the West Bank.12

This lowland passage connects the Mediterranean coastal plain to the Great Rift Valley through the following features:

• Coastal Connection: The maritime plain links to the valley via Wadi ʿĀrah and several other routes situated between the mountain spurs of Mount Carmel and the Gilboa range.2
• Rift Connection: At its southeastern end, the plain opens into the Jordan Valley—a segment of the Great Rift Valley—where the Jālūd (Harod) River has carved a path into the side of the rift.32

Historically, this route functioned as a major segment of the Via Maris, an ancient trade highway connecting Egypt to the Fertile Crescent.34