Gonen

This article is about the kibbutz. For the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, see Katamon. For the town and district in Turkey, see Gönen.

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 2023 it had a population of 420.^[1]

Gonen גּוֹנֵן‎
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  (2023)[1]	420
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.