▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁W adi ▁Har am ia , ▁the ▁first ▁battle ▁of ▁the ▁Mac c abe es ▁ ▁against ▁the ▁Sel uc ids . ▁The ▁mountain ▁pass , ▁the ▁" A sc ent ▁of ▁Lev on ah " ▁is ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁village , ▁and ▁links ▁the ▁Lev on ah ▁valley ▁to ▁its ▁north ▁with ▁the ▁Sh il oh ▁valley ▁to ▁its ▁south . ▁Jud ah ▁Mac c ab ee ▁killed ▁the ▁Sam arian ▁my s arch ▁Ap oll on ius ▁in ▁this ▁battle , ▁taking ▁his ▁sword ▁for ▁himself . ▁ ▁Modern ▁era ▁According ▁to ▁A RI J , ▁Israel ▁conf isc ated ▁land ▁from ▁ 3 ▁neighbour ing ▁Palest in ian ▁villages ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁construct ▁Ma ' ale ▁Lev ona : ▁▁ 4 4 7 ▁d un ams ▁of ▁land ▁were ▁taken ▁from ▁Sin j il , ▁▁ 2 2 9 ▁d un ams ▁were ▁taken ▁from ▁Al - L ub ban ▁ash - Sh ar qi ya , ▁▁ 7 2 ▁d un ams ▁were ▁taken ▁from ▁Ab we in . ▁ ▁Ma ' ale ▁Lev ona ▁was ▁initially ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁N ah al ▁out post . ▁It ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁civil ian ▁settlement ▁under ▁the ▁municipal ▁juris diction ▁of ▁the ▁Mat te ▁B iny amin ▁Regional ▁Council . ▁It ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁northern ▁West ▁Bank , ▁in ▁the ▁Sh ilo - E li ▁b loc ▁near ▁A riel . ▁Ma ' ale ▁Lev ona ▁is ▁home ▁to ▁around ▁ 1 2 0 ▁families