▁the ▁residents ▁and ▁municipality ▁convin cing ▁the ▁min istry ▁of ▁the ▁interior ▁of ▁the ▁correct ▁name . ▁The ▁'- a ' ▁ending ▁is ▁common ▁in ▁Heb rew ▁and ▁may ▁indicate ▁female ▁gram mat ical ▁gender ▁or ▁mean ▁' her ' ▁or ▁less ▁frequent ▁' t ow ards '. ▁On ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁there ▁are ▁very ▁clear ▁bib lic al ▁references ▁to ▁" E phr ata h ", ▁in ▁a ▁context ▁it ▁cannot ▁possibly ▁mean ▁" t ow ards ▁E ph rat ", ▁e . g . ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁, ▁. ▁Therefore , ▁there ▁were ▁until ▁recently ▁two ▁names ▁in ▁use : ▁In ternal ▁and ▁private ▁references ▁speak ▁of ▁" E fr at ", ▁whereas ▁all ▁inter - city ▁road sign s , ▁under ▁pur view ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Government , ▁read ▁" E fr ata " ▁( and ▁still ▁do , ▁not ▁having ▁been ▁updated ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁recent ▁change ). ▁ ▁Status ▁under ▁international ▁law ▁Like ▁all ▁Isra eli ▁settlement s ▁in ▁the ▁Isra eli - occup ied ▁territ ories , ▁E fr at ▁is ▁considered ▁illegal ▁under ▁international ▁law , ▁though ▁Israel ▁disput es ▁this . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁international ▁community ▁cons iders ▁Isra eli ▁settlement s ▁to ▁viol ate ▁the ▁Four th ▁Gene va ▁Convention ' s ▁prohib ition ▁on ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁an ▁occup ying ▁power ' s ▁civil ian ▁population ▁into ▁occupied ▁territory . ▁Israel ▁disput es ▁that ▁the ▁Four th ▁Gene va ▁Convention ▁applies ▁to ▁the ▁Palest in ian ▁territ ories ▁as ▁they ▁had