Dutch Heights, Israel: detailed information, description and history

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

The Dutch Heights, or Golan, are located to the northeast and east of Lake Kinneret (Lake of Tiberias) and are part of the Northern District of Israel, or rather, are controlled by this country.

This is a disputed territory between Syria and Israel, which captured it as a result of the Six Day War, which was fought in the Middle East in 1967 from June 5th to 10th. The coalition, which included Egypt and Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Algeria, opposed Israel in this war.

Disputed Territories

To be fair, Israel has historically owned the Dutch Heights for over 3,000 years and is said to have been granted by God. They became part of this country under King David and were part of the Holy (Promised) Land.

Syria owned these lands, which were included in its province of Quneitra, for only 21 years. She got the disputed territories as a gift from the French, who, leaving these lands due toexpiration of the mandate, gave the Dutch heights to Syria solely to annoy the Israelis.

Historical name

What is this area like? From the very beginning, it should be noted that the name of the height was received from the biblical city of Golan. This ancient settlement was located in Bashan, a historical region located on the east bank of the Jordan. Therefore, the correct name for these heights is "Golan", and not "Dutch". Holland, whose territory is mostly below sea level, has no heights other than sand dunes.

Golan borders

The Golan Heights is a mountain plateau of volcanic origin, which in Israel occupies 1,150 square kilometers. Its height is 1200 meters above sea level. The western border of these territories, which in the Bible are called the land of Bashan, is Lake Kinneret and the upper reaches of the Jordan, the eastern border is the rocks of Trachon of volcanic origin and the Druse Mountains.

The Yarmuk River is the southern border of the Golan, and on the north side these lands are guarded by the Hermon Mountains (only 7% of their total area is in Israel). Ash Sheikh or Hermon is the highest mountain in Israel. It reaches 2236 meters above sea level.

There is something to argue about

The Dutch heights are divided into Upper and Lower Golan. Naturally, there is very little arable land in the highlands, mostly herds graze here. But in the lower part there is a lot of land suitable for cultivation. They are located onnumerous plains interspersed with bas alt hills. And if the Upper Golan is called the country of herds, then the Lower Golan is called the country of flour, since for both Israel and Syria these lands are the main breadbasket. And not only wheat is grown here, but also cotton, olives, vegetables, almonds and subtropical fruits.

War Territory

It should be noted that the war never bypassed the Dutch heights. Even after the death of Solomon, that is, in the X century BC, the country fell apart, and Israel (in the north) and Judea (in the south) arose. On the territory of the Golan for 200 years there were continuous battles between the Israeli and Aramean kingdoms. The kingdom of Israel was periodically destroyed. So in 722 BC, the Assyrians under the command of King Tiglath-Palassar destroyed the country.

The Jews left their promised lands (where there was never a long peace), but already in the middle of the first millennium BC. e., that is, at the time of the Second Temple, the Golan were returned, but then they became part of the Kingdom of Judah.

Symbol of courage

The history of the Dutch Heights is a history of constant wars. In the first century AD (67 AD), the Romans captured the Golan. The Jews very courageously defended their rather well-fortified cities. Particularly strong resistance was offered to the Roman invaders by Gamala, which at that time was the capital of the Golan. The fearlessness and sacrifice of the defenders amazed the Romans, and the city became for centuries a symbol of the courage of Israeli soldiers. During the excavations that are carried out in our time, there were nonot a single object or remnant of structures was found that would indicate the presence in those distant times on these lands of anyone other than the Israelis. Only synagogues or settlements of ancient Jews are found here.

True masters of the earth

In the 4th century, the Byzantines came here, who severely persecuted the Jews, and in the 7th century, these conquerors were replaced by Muslim Arabs. In the XI century, battles begin between them and the crusaders. And none of the invaders cultivated these lands, except for the Jews, whom the enslavers constantly drove out, and they returned again and turned the deserts into gardens. And this fate befell not only the Dutch Heights. In Israel or Eretz-Israel, all territories came to life and flourished when they were settled by Jews and turned into deserts with the arrival of the conquerors. One of the most striking examples is Gaza.

Malarial swamps, sands and wastelands have turned into flowering gardens since the formation of Jewish settlements here. 35% of all flower production in Israel comes from this territory. And vegetables and fruits grow in abundance here.

Nothing has changed in the 20th century

400 years (1517-1918) Turkey owned the Golan, turning these lands into desert "backyards of the empire." From 1918 to 1946, Britain and France dominated here, which, as noted above, left the Golan to the newly emerged new state called Syria.

In 1948, Ben-Gurion proclaimed the creation of a Jewish state. And immediately the war began. After 1967these territories of the heights began to be actively settled by the Israelis, the ancient village of Katzrin was revived. In total, 34 settlements were built here, and the number of inhabitants exceeded 20,000 people. In 1973, Israel repulsed the Syrian attack and defended the Dutch Heights. But the question of how long the peace will last has always been in the air. Israeli jurisdiction was extended to these lands in December 1981 by a decision of the Knesset. But officially the Golan are considered disputed territories.

Distraction

On October 3, 2015, ISIS launched an offensive near the Dutch Heights. 3,000 fighters, using rocket artillery, set out to capture the former UN observation post, which is located on Mount Cuba. The militants hit the settlements of Jabat al-Khashab and Tranja. ISIS undertook this maneuver in order to divert the Syrian army and the Russian Aerospace Forces from Damascus. But to date, the Syrian government army has returned all the local conquests of the ISIS in this area.

Golan Attractions

The Golan is the most remote Israeli territory and one of the most picturesque. The main attraction is located 16 km from Lake Kinneret, the Wheel of Spirits or the Wheel of Rephaim. There is a mound in its center, and the megalithic monument itself belongs to the late Neolithic era (IV-III millennium BC)

Mountains and waterfalls, Druze villages and ski resorts (on Mount Hermon), dolmens and ancient synagogues (for example, in Gamal), nature reserves andnational parks - all these are the Golan Heights (Israel). Details of the wars being waged in these territories have been set out above.