Golan Heights – History of the Golan
Posted By admin on August 22, 2015
The IDF positions on the Golan Heights provide strategic and tactical parity with Syrian army.
Strategic parity is created by the presence of the Israeli army only 60 km from Damascus, a constant deterrent to any Syrian aggression. The peace and serenity of the Israeli-Syrian border since 1974 testify to this.
Tactical parity is created by the topographical structure of the Golan. In the south, the deep canyons of the Yarmuch and the Rakad rivers form an impassible natural barrier to armored vehicles, and a formidable shield against infantry. Therefore a relatively small number of troops in a few outposts can secure this front.
In the east and north the defense line is formed by a mountain range stretching from Mt. Saki to Mt. Hermon in the north. There are a limited number of natural passes, which Syria would have to use in the case of invading Israel.
Due to this topography, the Israeli soldiers posted on mountain peaks routinely monitor the Syrian side for any military buildup, enabling a swift IDF response to any such development.
Gamla, built in 81 BCE by the Hasmonean king Alexander Yannai, was the capital of the Golan for 150 years. In 66 CE, during the Great Revolt against Rome, Gamla joined Jerusalem. In his book, The Wars of the Jews, Josephus Flavius writes about the heroic fight of the Jews during a month long siege. The end was tragic: the Romans killed 4,000 Jews and another 5,000 were killed fleeing from the slope. Only two women survived.
One of the coins found in the archeological excavations here is imprinted in ancient Hebrew: "For the Redemption of Jerusalem the Holy".
Gamla fell in the year 67. Since 1967 the Golan has been Jewish once again.
Um el-Kanatir was a wealthy Jewish village based on the industry of whitening linen in a nearby spring, where 3 monumental arcs adorn the pools. The synagogue, built in the 5th century AD and destroyed in the earthquake in 749, was excavated using a computerized crane, and is now under careful restoration. A genuine Holy Ark Bimah (platform for Torah reading), made of smooth basalt stones, was found at the site.
Ancient Qatzrin in the central Golan was a large Jewish village spread over 5 acres during the Talmudic Period. An authentic basalt lintel found at the site prompted archeological excavations, which uncovered a magnificent synagogue, built entirely of hewn stones. Jewish life thrived in the village for 350-400 years until it was destroyed by the earthquake of 749 AD.
The modern town established in 1977 near the old city, chose the name Qatzrin as a tribute to the ancestors, and the continuation of Jewish life in the Golan.
Syria became an independent state in 1946, inheriting its borders from the French Mandate. In May 1948, with the establishment of Israel, Syria was the first to attack the newborn state from the Golan Heights. Throughout the 1950's and 1960's, Syria's constant aggression against Israelis living in the Galilee resulted in a generation of children who grew up sleeping in bomb shelters. During the six day war, Israel, in response to Syria's massive artillery attacks, captured the Golan Heights. After the war the Syrians rejected the Israeli offer to return the Golan in exchange for peace.
In 1970 Hafez al-Assad seized the Baath Party, which has controlled Syria since 1963. Under his leadership Syria invaded Israel during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and was defeated. In June 2000 Hafez appointed his son Bashar as his successor. Bashar supports militant terror groups that carry out attacks against Israel.
Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Alawite Shias and Druze, as wall as Arab Sunnis who comprise 70% of the population. The Assad Dynasty belongs to the Alawites (11% of Syrian population). The majority Sunni Muslims feel that they are not represented. They will never forget 1982, when Hafez al-Assad gave the order to use all force against the uprising in the city of Hama. The Syrian army brutally killed 20,000-40,000 men, women and children, and completely destroyed the old city.
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Golan Heights - History of the Golan
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