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Panorama of the Harod Valley below, part of the Jezreel

Mount Gilboa (Hebrew: הר הגלבוע‎) is a ridge above the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel. The formation extends from southeast to northwest, bordering the highlands of the West Bank and the Beit She'an valley; the 'Green Line' between Israel and the West Bank traverses the ridge. The Gilboa range is also the setting in the Books of Samuel of a battle between Saul and the Philistines.

[edit] Faqoa

The Arabic name is Mount Faqoa (Arabic: جبال فقوعة‎). The name is taken from the village Faqoa between Jenin City and Beit She'an.

[edit] Kibbutzim

The mountain has two religious kibbutzim, Ma'ale Gilboa and Merav, named after one of Saul's daughters, as well as a drug rehabilitation centre called Malkishua. Ma'ale Gilboa has in it a yeshiva (Talmudical school), Yeshivat Ma'ale Gilboa. Municipal services are mainly administered by the Gilboa Regional Council, although two villages are part of the Beit She'an Valley Regional Council.^{[citation needed]}

The Israeli government had proposed a new community on the mountain: Mikhal, named after Saul's other daughter Michal. However, environmentalists and other residents had been vehement in their opposition to this project, fearing that Mikhal would destroy more green space and threaten certain irises which are unique to this area. Others in opposition questioned the need for an additional village, since the existing villages were themselves trying to attract new residents and expand.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Vegetation

Every year, in early spring, the Iris haynei (Hebrew: אירוס הגלבוע‎, Irus Ha-Gilboa) flower grows on the mountain, and visitors from all over Israel come to see the purple flower.

Some towns in the United States have been named after it (see Gilboa).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• List of battles between Israel and the Philistines

Coordinates: 32°26′02″N 35°24′52″E / 32.43389°N 35.41444°E / 32.43389; 35.41444