Gornoth Hagalil Colony

Also known by its short name “Garnot,” this settlement was established in 1980 and is located near Ma’alot-Tarshiha. The settler population was 177 in 2019 and increased to 244 in 2021.

Garnot HaGalil was founded in 1980 on the lands of the depopulated village of Iqrit by families from regional moshavim, most of whom came from the neighboring moshav of Gurin, from which the settlement derives its name. It was planned as a regional center and hosts the administrative offices of the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council as well as the regional clinic. Additionally, several public buildings were planned within the settlement, including an elementary school and a regional community center.

Despite these plans, the settlement was unable for many years to develop and expand its community due to internal conflicts. This resulted in only about 40 families living in the settlement by 2014, nearly half of whom were renters.

In 2014, the Settlement Department of the Zionist Organization began promoting community expansion in response to a request from a group of Technion graduates in the Galilee who demanded the establishment of a settlement for academics in the region. This initiative received the support of the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council, which viewed it as an opportunity for the settlement’s development.

In 2016, the first community expansion project was launched, composed of members from the “Betno BeGalil” settlement group and families from the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council. Further community expansions are expected in the future, with plans for the settlement to grow to approximately 400 families.

The initial community expansion is characterized by a relatively young population, with the vast majority under 40 years old. The “Western Galilee” high school, located in the region, is considered one of the best high schools in the Galilee and attracts many students from outside the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council. The high school also hosts the “Eshkol Beis Center,” which manages a wide range of classes for students.

In 2020, construction began on the Garnot HaGalil elementary school, a project by the Ministry of Education aimed at increasing children’s interest in science from an early age. The new school is expected to welcome its first students in the 2022 academic year. As part of the school’s infrastructure development, a gymnasium was completed in 2019, which will also serve as an extension of the regional community center and will include a wide variety of classrooms for children and parents.