Gonen
Place in Northern, Israel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gonen (Hebrew: גּוֹנֵן, lit. Defended) is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Finger of the Galilee near Kiryat Shmona, the kibbutz falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council. In 2024 it had a population of 405.[1]
Gonen
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| Etymology: Defended | |
  Gonen | |
| Coordinates: 33°7′21″N 35°38′47″E | |
| Country | Israel |
| District | Northern |
| Council | Upper Galilee |
| Affiliation | Kibbutz Movement |
| Founded | 13 August 1951 |
| Founded by | Nahal |
| Population (2024)[1] | 405 |
| Website | kgonen.org.il |
History
Gonen was established on 13 August 1951 as a Nahal settlement[2] on the land of the Palestinian village of Ghuraba, which had become depopulated in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[3]
It was civilianised a year later by a group of Hebrew Scouts.[4] It was the first Nahal settlement to convert to civilian control.
Its name is derived from the Book of Kings and symbolized the settlement's strategic location and proximity to the pre-Six-Day War Israel–Syria border, established in the 1949 Armistice Agreements. During the 1949–1967 period, the village's vicinity was the site of numerous skirmishes with the Syrian army.[4]
Since 1994, the kibbutz has been in the process of conversion to a community settlement.[4]
Economy
The economy of Gonen is based upon agriculture, including corn, citrus fruits, and the raising of cattle. There is also a mini-market and a guest house.