Up, Up, Up into the Golan Heights

Tuesday

After spending the night at a resort on Lake Kinneret, we traveled north, up into the Golan Heights. As we climbed higher and higher into the Golan, the strategic importance of the heights became quite evident. Prior to 1967, the Golan Heights was Syrian territory, but the fertile plain below and along the eastern shore of Lake Kinneret was in Israel. Often, the Syrians would fire rifles and mortars down on the farmers working their fields below. Tractors were plated with armor in order to protect the farmers from harm while they tended their land. After the Six Day War, the entire area of the Golan Heights was captured by Israel. In the 1973 Yom Kippur war, the Syrians attempted to recapture the Golan. In the surprise attack, they penetrated about half way across the heights before being beaten back by the Israeli army. Since 1973, the border between Israel and Syria has been very quiet. We traveled to the eastern most edge of the Golan Heights and looked down into Syria and a UN compound observing the border area. Snow covered Mount Hermon loomed large just to the north. Mount Hermon is the only place in Israel where it is possible to snow ski. Half of the mountain is controlled by Israel, the other half by Syria. Syrian and Israeli forces keep an eye on each other from two parallel ridges on top of the mountain. We discussed the strategic value of the Golan Heights and debated whether or not Israel should withdraw from there in exchange for a peace treaty with Syria. The Golan is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Dairy products and wine are two of the biggest industries there. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show because I let the camera battery run down.

Before we headed south back toward Jerusalem, we stopped in Katzrin, the capital of the Golan area, for lunch and a meeting with Ramona Bar Lev, a long time resident of the Golan and social and political activist. She made a strong case against returning the entire area of the Golan to Syria, but she seemed to be willing to relinquish part of it in exchange for peace. Unfortunately, the Syrians have so far refused to discuss the return of anything less than every square inch of the heights. And so, the debate continues…