The Golan Heights in the History and Destiny of Israel. Israel (Golan Heights) Dutch Heights in Israel

Showed how this country is interesting and convenient in terms of travel. But not for a moment did we feel some discomfort here. After all, Israel is still on the thin line of war and peace with almost the entire Arab world. Therefore, armed soldiers, bomb shelters and military vehicles all around here do not raise any questions. The Israelis themselves have long been accustomed to this suspended state, but for visiting guests it adds to the thrill. But the maximum of this kind of emotions can be felt by visiting the Golan Heights or simply the Golan. A lot of minefields, the remains of destroyed equipment, abandoned military installations and observation posts at the border - ordinary Golan everyday life. All this can be seen and photographed almost without hindrance. If you only have the courage, because these places are not safe to this day. Aren't you scared? Then go ahead!
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It is worth noting that it is not bad to travel around the Golan in the company of people who know these places well. Sasha became our guide puerrtto and, probably, the best connoisseur of this region is difficult to find. It’s hard for me to imagine that I could have made a sortie to this troubled region on my own, without his help. You can take a look at his report about that unforgettable trip. But first, I’ll tell you a little about why, in fact, the Golans are so interesting.
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This region is a mountain plateau of volcanic origin, which is located just between the central regions of Israel and Syria, mired in civil war. The Golan is a special, unlike any other part of Israel. Burgundy-red earth, extinct hill volcanoes, rocky fields of hardened lava create unearthly surreal landscapes.
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Once these desert lands were called the country of shepherds and nomads. Hence the name, which has nothing to do with Holland, but is connected precisely with cattle breeding. And here since ancient times there have been conflicts and wars. The Romans, Byzantines and Muslims constantly either conquered or ceded these lands. Then the British, Turks and French tried to divide the Golan. Well, over the past 60 years, a fierce war has unfolded here between two relatively new geographical map the states of Israel and Syria.
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It would seem that someone needs these lifeless lands, but the strategic value of the Golan Heights is enormous. Firstly, this plateau rises above the nearby lands on both the Israeli and Syrian sides. This is the most convenient springboard for monitoring the situation in the entire region. And secondly, more than 30 percent of all water resources of the Jewish state are hidden in the depths of this plateau.
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After the declaration of the Israeli state and the first Arab-Israeli war, the Golan became the territory of Syria. For 20 years, the Syrian military has taken possession of these lands, creating a network of artillery positions and fortifications here. It was only a matter of time before Israel tolerated this imminent threat to her country.
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During the so-called Six Day War, the Golan came completely under the control of the Jews. But just six years later, this region became the scene of what was apparently the last major tank battle of the 20th century. 40 years ago, Syria and Egypt suddenly attacked Israel from two sides. It's not that the Jews weren't ready for this invasion. They miscalculated only with time and scale.
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The network of temporary Israeli fortifications in the Golan alone was attacked by 1,300 Soviet-made T-62 and T-55 tanks. They were opposed by only 180 Israeli tanks "Centurion" and "Sherman". No less impressive was the superiority in manpower. Almost all Arab countries united in this war against Israel. Syria and Egypt were supported by soldiers and equipment from Iran, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Algeria. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain provided financial support. Technicians and consultants came from the USSR and Cuba. Surprisingly, the war lasted only 18 days and ended with the complete defeat of the Arabs. It was only in the first few days that the suddenness of the attack gave them illusory hopes of success.
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Being in the Golan, you can vividly imagine what a handful of Israeli soldiers saw in the first hours of the war from the height of their fortified positions. Thousands of tanks, tens of thousands of infantrymen, a lot of auxiliary equipment then filled the entire space near the Golan Heights. These were very convenient targets. The range of the Centurion guns made it possible to destroy the Syrian troops at a practically safe distance. But the fighting continued through the night. The Syrian military, not differing in strategic or tactical talents, took in quantity. At the end of the second day, most of the Golan was already almost in the hands of Syria, but Israeli reservists arrived in time. The outcome of the battle was predetermined.
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After this battle, the Golan was an amazing sight - thousands of mangled cars, dozens of destroyed buildings and a lot of abandoned ammunition lay everywhere. We must pay tribute to Israel, in the Golan to this day they managed to preserve many relics of that war. A kind of 60 kilometers of the Golan perimeter became a huge museum under open sky.
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Now a trip along this mountain plateau is quite comparable to the stalkers' trip through the forbidden zones from the Strugatskys' Roadside Picnic. Nerves are tickled by large areas of minefields, in the middle of which good asphalt roads are laid.
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The multitude of abandoned objects, artifacts, and strange sights can raise questions, some of which cannot be answered. Here, for example, is the famous crossroads of the “suspended jeep”. Who and why threw this burnt Syrian UAZ on a pole is already unknown for certain. Apparently, a certain landmark was created in this way. But now dozens of birds have chosen it, which fly away with noise when clapping their hands.
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The Israeli military almost completely cleared the fields of the destroyed Syrian equipment, while leaving their own lined "Centurions" at their last combat posts. This can be considered a tribute to the tank heroes of that battle, who did not flinch under the tenfold superior onslaught of the enemy. Until now, serving in the tank units of the Israeli army is a special honor for all citizens of this country liable for military service.
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Some of these tanks are not easy to approach. We have to walk along the paths right in the middle of the minefields with some apprehension. Several especially memorable places of that battle have been turned into memorials of sorts. They like to take schoolchildren and veterans to the so-called “Valley of Tears”.
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Here the intensity of that battle was especially great. After a 4-day battle, about 500 Syrian tanks with other military equipment and up to 60 Israeli military vehicles remained mixed up throughout this place. By our time, only a couple were left, whose muzzles of guns froze crossed in the last death convulsion.
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Here, the Israelis built a small amphitheater for visiting guests. It offers an excellent view of the entire valley below, down to a small Syrian town on the horizon. Sasha said that some time ago it was possible to come here to observe real hostilities on the Syrian side between the local military and the armed opposition.
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I would call it a very peculiar pastime. Although several barbed-wire fences, anti-tank ditches and now new Israeli minefields make it virtually impossible for any new invaders to get in. In addition, each nearby hill has been turned into powerful observation posts and hides multi-level fortifications underneath.
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After the "Valley of Tears" we stopped at another very unusual place. It was a large completely abandoned two-story building built by the Syrians as a hospital, but also serving as an Arab and army command headquarters.
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Surprisingly, here it was possible to freely enter inside, walk along the long corridors and climb to the roof.
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Here, traces of a short battle were visible, hit by several large missiles and heavy machine-gun bursts.
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Nevertheless, this building has been preserved in an almost perfect condition and could easily become the scenery in some kind of cinematic military drama or horror movie.
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Just a few kilometers from this building, we drove into the former Syrian barracks. I was again struck by the fact that we got inside absolutely unhindered. And in general, almost all the time during this day there was not a soul around. Only occasionally did military jeeps pass along the road, which, like us, were completely uninterested in lone travelers.
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The Israeli military built several bomb shelters near the abandoned barracks buildings. By the way, you should not go inside the buildings themselves. This is warned by the inscriptions painted on the walls.
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I felt a little creepy here, the atmosphere of an unfinished war was clearly putting pressure on my psyche. So we hurried to the next object.
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They became an abandoned mosque next to the Syrian cemetery. The tower of this mosque was clearly used as a firing point, so it showed signs of massive shelling.
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But it turned out that you can easily climb up the well-preserved stairs.
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The view from there was really wonderful. In addition, the play of the light of the setting sun created extraordinary colors that added even more unreality to the surrounding gloomy reality.
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Already in the evening twilight we drove up to our last designated point - the fortified hill of Tel as-Saki.
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This place also turned out to be significant for the Israelis. Here, several dozen Israeli soldiers and six tanks took a deadly battle. The forces of the Syrians are no longer countable.
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In complete encirclement, the Israelis were able to hold this strong point for three days, in the end they were simply without strength and ammunition, wounded, hiding in the depths of the bunker. The losses of the Syrians were such that they did not even begin to finish off the garrison that had not surrendered.
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Now the flag of Israel proudly flies here, and figures of infantrymen stand on the hill. In the vicinity of this hill, you can find a lot of crippled rusty Soviet-made Syrian vehicles - UAZs, trucks, armored cars.
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Today, the Golan has become an amazing symbiosis of a reserve and an open-air museum. Minefields and border status were able to preserve the pristine beauty of the local nature and at the same time many interesting artifacts of the last major battle on these lands. It seems to me that there are no analogues to this place on Earth, but, of course, not everyone should go here, but only a little crazy travelers and lovers of military history. But they are guaranteed a maximum of emotions here!
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The Golan Heights is a hill on the Asian side of the Syrian-African Rift, located between the sources of the Jordan River and Lake Kinneret. From a political point of view, this is a disputed territory in the Middle East, the right of possession of which is claimed by Israel and Syria. Currently, the heights are controlled by Israel, which considers them an integral part of it, while Syria treats this as a foreign occupation.

The Golan Heights became part of Israel in 1967, when, as a result of the Six-Day War, Israel annexed the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. This step was dictated by security considerations, and after the political situation in the Middle East changed for the better for Israel (the country ceased to be a marginal of world politics and began active cooperation with the United States), the Jewish state concluded peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, according to which the Sinai Peninsula was returned Egypt, and on the West Bank of the Jordan River and in the Gaza Strip, the formation of the Palestinian Authority began. However, the issue of the transfer of the Golan Heights to Syria never went beyond the debate in the Knesset, and after the start in Syria civil war and turned into a political fantasy. In this article, we will explain the reasons for this Israeli territorial policy.

Maps of the Golan Heights

Golan Heights on a map of the Middle East
Source: 200stran.ru

Map of the Golan Heights
Source: wikimedia.org

Antiquity

Archaeological finds show that Jews lived in the Golan Heights from at least the time of King Herod until the Arab conquest of Syria and Palestine in the 7th century. Together with the Arabs, Kurds, Moroccans, Druze and Turkmen came to this territory - most of them arrived here as part of the Arab armies. Later, during the period of the Crusades, the crusaders settled here, who built the fortress of Nimrod at the foot of Mount Hermon (the high point present day Israel).

Ruins of the fortress of Nimrod
Author's photo

During the Turkish rule (1517-1918), the Golan Heights became depopulated - most of the settlers left this territory. The fact is that the metropolis of the Ottoman Empire did not deal with the problems of the province at all, and only the most desperate settlers could survive there. A small influx of population began only in the 19th century - after the Circassians expelled from the Russian Empire settled in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Quneitra (today it is located on Syrian territory).

Zionists go to the Golan

According to the Balfour Declaration of 1917 (an international document that for the first time declared the intention of the world community to promote the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine), the Golan Heights were part of the British colonial mandate to rule Palestine and Transjordan, and the settlement of this land by Jews was strongly encouraged. However, in March 1923, in violation of international agreements, Great Britain transferred the Golan to the French colonial mandate to govern Lebanon and Syria. From now on, all attempts by Jews to populate these lands were suppressed in every possible way. Both the British and French colonial authorities preferred to have good relations with the Arab population, which, according to the memoirs of veterans of the Jewish resistance of those years, demonstrated its loyalty to the colonial administration in every possible way and carried out all its orders. It should be noted that even during the period of Turkish domination, the first Zionists tried to create Jewish settlements on the Golan Heights, but they encountered serious opposition from the Turkish administration and the local Muslim population. The only Jewish settlement in the Golan of that period was the village of Bnei Yehuda, which existed from 1888 to 1920, when the head of the last Jewish family remaining there was killed by local Arabs.

Under Syrian rule

In 1947, after the creation of the state of Syria, the Golan Heights became part of it, and following the results of the Israeli War of Independence (1947–48) remained Syrian territory. After the end of hostilities, the Syrians installed artillery pieces in the Golan, and the region itself was completely subordinated to military needs. During the 23-year period of Syrian domination, this area was covered with minefields, most of which remain uncleared to this day.

Minefields in the Golan Heights
Author's photo

The relief of the Golan Heights and the valleys at their foot is such that it is difficult to find more comfortable spot to bombard Israeli settlements, instill fear and create an atmosphere of constant threat. It is difficult to convey this with the help of photographs - you need to visit the Golan yourself in order to fully understand their military significance.

Valley near the city of Kiryan-Shmona. View from the Golan Heights
Author's photo

As a result of constant shelling of Israeli territory from the Golan Heights, as well as the actions of Syrian snipers from 1948 to 1967, 140 Israelis were killed and hundreds of people were injured.

Israeli annexation

During the Six Day War of 1967, after heavy fighting, the Israeli army occupied the Golan Heights and, as a result of the confrontation, announced their annexation. Violent battles for the Golan also took place during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Attempts by the Arabs to regain the heights did not stop even after the end of the war and the adoption of UN Resolution No. 338, which called on the parties to a ceasefire. As a result, a small strip east of the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan became a buffer zone and received official name– “United Nations Disengagement Supervision Force Zone”. Almost all of the territory controlled by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) is the former Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights. The border between the buffer zone and Israel is called "A" or "Line Alpha", and the border between the buffer zone and Syria is called "B" or "Line Bravo". The city of Quneitra fell into the neutral zone - after the Israelis left this city, the Syrians saw only ruins in its place. According to the Syrian version, the Israelis razed the city to the ground with the help of dynamite and bulldozers. This version is supported by the US Committee on Refugees, as well as by UN Special Representative Nils-Goran Güssing. According to the Israeli version, the city suffered as a result of a massive shelling of Syrian artillery, which tried to hit Israeli positions in the Golan, but missed, and the shells hit Quneitra. The version of the Israelis adheres to the American public organization CAMERA ("Committee for the Accuracy of America's Coverage of Events in the Middle East").

Map of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone
Source: wikimedia.org

The mandate of UNDOF to manage the buffer zone is renewed every six months. The tasks of UNDOF include:

• general monitoring of the buffer zone;
• monitoring the Israeli and Syrian military presence in the region;
• suppression of attempts to introduce armed forces into the UNDOF zone;
• regular (every two weeks) inspections of Israeli and Syrian military facilities in the areas bordering the zone;
• assistance to the International Red Cross in transportation local residents, mail and medicines;
• clearance of the territory.

At present, the work of UNDOF is hampered by the ongoing civil war in Syria.

After Israel took control of the Golan Heights, the place went from the hottest in the country to the quietest. Syria, which took an extremely aggressive stance towards Israel during the Arab-Israeli wars, has moderated its ardor. And if in South Lebanon, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula, Israel is constantly facing problems in the form of terrorist and military organizations of the PLO, Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah and marginal Islamist gangs entrenched in the Sinai Peninsula, then there is no military activity from Syria. The reason for this is simple: any attempt to storm the Golan Heights in the current military disparity between Israel and Syria is suicide for the Syrian army.

In 1981, Israel officially announced the annexation of the Golan Heights. The annexation was not internationally recognized, but nevertheless the Golan remains under Israeli control to this day. There are several reasons for this.

strategic importance

The Golan Heights is the key to peace or war in the northeast of Israel. From the territory of the Golan Heights, approximately 40% of the territory of Israel is freely shot through, and the most densely populated part of Syria, including Damascus, is also visible. At the same time, Israeli artillery can strike throughout southern Syria. While this hill was occupied by the enemies of Israel, it was a time of fear and terror against the Israelis. When the heights came under Israeli control, the situation stabilized.

Control of the Golan Heights ensures the security of Israel's water supply. A third of all the water used by the country comes from the Sea of ​​Galilee, the Jordan River and its three main tributaries - the Banias, Dan and Snir rivers. According to many Israeli politicians and military experts, the loss of the Golan Heights will inevitably lead to serious problems with water supply as a result of sabotage by the Syrian side, as well as the negligent attitude of the Syrians towards the ecology of the region. Israeli intelligence before the Six Day War indicates that Syria was already developing canals and diversions that would deprive Israel of the lion's share of fresh water.

The non-Jewish population of the Golan is represented predominantly by the Druze loyal to Israel. The current state of affairs suits them completely, except for the fact that part of the Druze population lives in Syria. Many Israeli Druzes are forced to hide the fact that they work in Israeli enterprises or rent apartments from Israelis, as such information can lead to persecution and even murder of their Syrian relatives and friends. Today, Israeli Druze are predominantly employed in agriculture and tourism. There is a possibility that after the end of the civil war in Syria, a Druze state will be created on Syrian territory, which may include part of the Israeli Golan. Such a course of events would be extremely beneficial for Israel, as it would remove the international legal problem of the Golan Heights, and would also lead to the creation of the first state friendly to Israel near its borders.

Druz Yusuf Mushlaf - Major General of the IDF

The Golan Heights (Golan) are located in northern Israel, northeast of Lake Kinneret. The Golan Heights is a tiny, sparsely populated area still contested by Syria, which surrendered the Golan to Israel during the 1967 Six Day War. The strategic importance of the Golan Heights for Israel lies in the ability to control the south-west of Syria from them, including Damascus itself, which is visible from the heights in cold and clear weather. Today, there are several Israeli settlements in the Golan, the largest of which is the village of Katzrin with a population of about 7,000 people.

Coordinates: 33 north latitude, 35.75 east longitude

Golan Heights on the map, which can be controlled (zoom and move)

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Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visits Putin. Apparently, there is something to discuss and something to talk about. If only because on Sunday, April 17 (Sunday, if anyone does not know, it is a working day in Israel), the Israeli government held its visiting meeting there for the first time in 49 years of occupation of the Golan Heights.

A spectacular demonstration, especially if we take into account what the office of the head of the Israeli government distributed after the speech.

"It is clear to everyone that Israel is not the source of the problems in the Golan, but the way to solve them."

"The Golan Heights will forever remain in Israeli hands, Israel will never retreat from the Golan Heights."

"The border will not be moved, no matter how events develop on the other side of it."

On the other side of it - this is understandable, in Syria.

As a matter of fact, Mr. Netanyahu outlined everything quite succinctly and clearly.

Only one thing is not clear: what world problems does Israel solve with the help of occupation? So far, there is only one problem: the absolutely illegal occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel and the absolute indifference to the demand of Syria (well, they have a war there, albeit a reconciled one today), and to the demand of the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, no one has canceled Resolution No. 242 of the UN Security Council. It was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967 at the 1382nd meeting.

But no one (meaning Israel) rushed to fulfill it.

And UN Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981 considers this area to be part of the Syrian occupied territories. And this resolution was issued after the Knesset of Israel in the same December 1981 extended its jurisdiction to the territory of the Golan.

A few words about the Golans themselves. Before the well-known events half a century ago, 147 thousand people lived in the Golan Heights. The center is the city of El Quneitra.

After Israel captured these territories during the Six-Day War in 1967, the bulk of the Arabs living there left. About 7,000 Druze remained, mostly in the north of the Golan.

And the Israelis simply razed El Quneitra to the ground. The city is virtually uninhabited to this day. After proper "processing", it seems to have been handed over to Syria, but in fact Quneitra is located on neutral territory.

Today, about 40 thousand people live in the Golan. Approximately half are Druze who are loyal to Israel, and half are Israeli citizens, for whom 34 settlements have been built since 1967.

After the occupation of the Golan Heights, Israeli fortified posts equipped with electronic equipment for reconnaissance were equipped here. The largest electronic intelligence stations are located on Mount Hermon (60 km from Damascus), as well as on the heights of Hermonit, Tel Fares, Avital and Buster. Since 2011, re-mining of border areas has been carried out, in 2012 the construction of a wall along the entire line of demarcation began.

Why is Israel so reluctant to part with the Golan? Gaza - at least tomorrow take it, the shore of the Jordan - today. But the Golan - never.

According to the Israeli military, the natural terrain of the Golan is ideal for securing Israel's eastern borders. And the loss of the Golan, from the tops of which almost half of Israel is freely shot through, significantly reduces its defense capability.

Yes, we can agree. Indeed, from 1948 to 1967, Syria fired from the heights of the territory of Israel. During the shelling, 140 people were killed. For 19 years. An average of 7 people per year. If you study the statistics of strained relations between Israel and Palestine, the part where the numbers of Israeli losses from the Palestinians are given, it becomes ridiculous. Palestinian knives and pistols are more effective than Syrian artillery.

Or you can take Operation Protective Edge. For a month and a half, from July 7 to August 26, 2014, Israel lost 69 people killed and more than 800 wounded.

As an example of the need to maintain an Israeli presence in the Golan Heights, the Israeli leadership usually cites the fact that the transition of this area under Israeli sovereignty ensured more than three decades of “positive calm” in a zone where constant military clashes had previously taken place. Conversely, handing the Golan back to Syria could destabilize the security situation.

Well, yes, there, in Israel, today is peace and grace.

But personally, I am sure that the true essence of the question of non-return is not in this.

I fully support the opinion that the true essence is in the water. Currently, more than 30% of Israel's drinking water comes from sources in the Golan. Lake Tiberias, which is the main reservoir of fresh water in the country, can hardly cope with the growing demand. And there is also the Kinneret reservoir. And the loss of sources in the Golan could lead to water famine in Israel. But do they, the Israelis, need it?

In addition, the Golan Heights is a very attractive area in economic terms.

50 % mineral water Israel, 26% of wines, about half of which are exported, from 30 to 50% of some fruits and vegetables. Plus tourists. Not as good as in other places, but 2.3-2.5 million people a year accept.

So it turns out that Israel is ready to give up the West Bank of the Jordan River and Gaza, if only they take it, since these are rather dull places with an inadequate, as we would say, population, and the Golan, where only their own or almost their own people live, do not .

"I will not give my cow to anyone, I need such a cattle myself."

In general, everything is quite logical. Jewish pragmatism and none.

In this regard, Netanyahu's visit to Putin looks quite interesting. Especially after such steps as the away session in the Golan and such eloquent statements. Syria is still our ally, you know...

85th kilometer - Orekhovo-Zuevo

What's on the public's mind right now? Well, Arabs on their minds, Israel, Golan Heights, Moshe Dayan. Well, what if we drive Moshe Dayan from the Golan Heights, and reconcile the Arabs with the Jews? What will remain in people's minds then?

The Golan Heights is a mountainous plateau of volcanic origin located in the northeast of Israel near the Syrian border.

During the Six Day War of 1967, Israel captured the Golan Heights, and in 1981 the Israeli Knesset passed the "Golan Heights Law", which unilaterally proclaimed Israeli sovereignty over this territory. The annexation was declared invalid by UN Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981. On many maps, the territory is marked as "occupied by Israel".

Since the Six Day War, some of the territories have remained mined. Although, to be honest, the Turks began to mine here, fighting the British at the beginning of the 20th century.

About 39,000 people live in the Golan today. Of the Syrian settlements, 4 villages remained: Majdel Shams, Masadeh, Bukata and Ain-Kaniya, most of their inhabitants are Druze (by the way, many still have Syrian citizenship).

Druze - one of the national minorities living in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In the Middle Ages, they broke away from the Muslims, founding their own religion. The Druze believe in one God and the transmigration of souls. They also never had their own state. In general, apart from the use of the Arabic language, nothing more connects them with the Arabs and Islam.

The Druze village of Majdal Shams is the highest settlement in Israel.

The national symbol of the Druze is a multi-colored star.

Religious Druzes with mustaches and trousers

Youth plays football here

Monument to the fighters against the French occupiers (30s of the XX century)

Even here there are signs in Russian. It seemed to me that tourists rarely come here: the surprise of the locals at our appearance was too sincere. Goodwill was visible, but it was still somehow unusual.

In a souvenir shop in the village of Majdal Shams

Here I bought just such a panicle with Arabic patterns.

By the way, El Al Airlines (Israeli Airlines) for some reason did not like my souvenirs: in 10 days in Israel I bought a Palestinian flag, an Arabic rosary and this whisk (really, why buy stupid magnets or a Shalom T-shirt, it is much more interesting to bring what which no one has). They asked for a long time why I bought it, especially about the Palestinian flag, I said that this flag is very similar to the Syrian one, and Syria is a friend of Russia. In response to this, the border guard grimaced and snorted, something from the series "It is not a Syrian flag". I could hardly restrain myself from saying "Actually, I know that" in response.

Due to the constant threat of terrorist attacks, all passengers flying to Israel and departing from it undergo multi-level control, giving the right to fly (arrive) from the Holy Land: individual interview, thorough examination
luggage and hand luggage(selectively). It is clear that my luggage was examined with passion. They also look for radioactive dust with a special brush.

In a photo taken with an iPhone, a red-haired lady is looking for a bomb in my photo backpack (London Airport, Heathrow)

On the Golan Heights there is the castle of the crusaders Nimrod, unfortunately we did not have time to get inside (everything closed at 3 pm)

And also here is ski resort Atar-a-Hermon (I'm already used to barbed wire and barriers - this has its own charm)

Another national minority in Israel are the Bediuns.
Bedouin villages can be easily found along the roads east of Jerusalem.

Israel, throughout its history, has been pursuing a policy towards the Bedouins aimed at settling the Bedouins in permanent places of residence and ending their nomadic lifestyle. Israel is even ready to build normal houses, but the Bedouins do not need it - they prefer to live without electricity and running water, being engaged in cattle breeding. In order to force the Bedouin to move to the villages built for them, the state constantly creates problems for the Bedouin population. For example, a very common measure is not issuing permits for the construction of houses in Bedouin villages, and when some Bedouin family, despite the lack of an appropriate permit, nevertheless takes and builds a house, there is immediately a danger that comrades from the Land Office will come Israel, accompanied by a reinforced police squad, and destroy the newly erected building, under the pretext that this house is illegal. Every year, at the behest of the Land Administration, on the territory of unrecognized Bedouin villages, about 120-150 houses are demolished. So in Israel, not only the Arabs get ...

Bedouins are not drafted into the army, but can go to serve on a voluntary basis. There is also the Bedouin Battalion GADSAR (Bedouin Pathfinder Battalion), which is part of the Southern Military District. Knowledge of the area, keen eyesight, and the natural qualities of a desert warrior make the Bedouin very useful in reconnaissance and patrolling. As a rule, the Bedouin pathfinder goes ahead of the military column, identifying the mined areas by signs that he understands. From a broken branch, from a barely noticeable footprint in the sand, a Bedouin can understand where and when the enemy passed, where an ambush can be expected.