The Golan Heights

I had a chance to visit the Golan Heights just a few days ago, and it was both shocking and sad. For those who are not too familiar with the Arab-Israeli conflict, this is a very rich area of Syria that was illegally occupied by Israel back in 1967 during the Six-Day War. There have been talks at different points in time about Israel returning it to Syria but it never happened. However, in 1974 Israel did withdraw from a tiny strip of land in the Golan, and then they started building settlements in the remainder of the region. 

In the strip returned to Syria there is one city, only one, Quneitra, that hasn’t been rebuilt by the Syrian government. It is a reminder of what happened here, of what the neighbours are capable of, of why they must get back the other illegally occupied territories.

When in 1974 Israel decided to abandon, and thus return, this small part of Golan, they first made sure they destroyed all of it: houses, markets, schools. Only three buildings are still standing even if completely destroyed: the hospital, a church, and a mosque.

It is absolutely delirious. Breathtaking. Creepy. Distressing.

To give you an idea, here are some pictures that I took during my visit. Fyi this area is under UN protection and in order to visit it not only you need a special authorization of the Syrian government, also you are accompanied by a Syrian policeman at all times. 

Let’s start with the hospital, and keep in mind that in war time hospitals are not to be attacked, they are a no-no target, for quite obvious reasons. 

You might be able to read in the sign “Golan Hospital: It was destroyed and changed into a firing target and training place by Zionists”.

Please take 10 seconds to look at the images of the inside walls of the hospital.

As you keep driving you reach the church. Only the main walls remain.

Then you pass the market.

And this is the mosque, which today is only a minaret from which you have a 360` view of this destroyed city that seems like hell, like the aftermath of an awfully strong earthquake, or a bomb. It is absolutely delirious. Breathtaking. Creepy. Distressing.

Just a look at what was done to the houses of people is, once again, breathtaking and distressing. 

Over 100,000 people had to abandon their homes, their jobs, their lives, to flee from the Israeli invasion of their lands in Golan. Around 7,000 stayed. Since then they have been trapped. They are not allowed to get out, to go back to their country: Syria, which is just a few meters away. The Israeli government offers them the Israeli citizenship but less than 10% has taken it in the last 40 years. Those who flee the region during the war haven’t been allowed to go back to their houses either, because the region now belongs to Israel, illegally of course.

But why did Israel take over this land? Why so many years of war with their neighbours? The answer is the strategic geopolitical position of the Golan Heights. Actually it consists of the Golan Heights proper and the slopes of Mount Hermon. This region has an average altitude of 3,300 feet but in some areas it reaches up to 9,000 feet, an outstanding position to keep an eye on the neighbours. 

Furthermore, the Golan Heights supply a noteworthy amount of water to the region thanks to the Sea of Galilee and the Yarmuk River in the south, actually between 15% and 30% of Israel's water supply! As well, a large proportion of Israel's agricultural production is based here.

There won’t be peace between Syria and Israel until Israel returns the illegally occupied Golan Heights. Israel needs to go back to the pre-1964 war borders, established by the UN. And Quneitra is a good reminder of why it is so important for Syria to get it back.

* Pictures taken by la elfa