Gadot Lookout and Memorial - Golan Heights, Israel

Gadot Lookout was not on the itinerary for our Israel trip. In fact, our trip was based on Christian Holy sites, which have not connection to this memorial. But we finished our daily itinerary early and were nearby. Our tour guide asked us if we would like to visit the memorial and received a resounding "yes." The memorial once served as a Syrian bunker complex overlooking the Hula Valley. It was a strategic encampment to prevent a counter attack on Syria using route 91. From this heavily mined position, Syrian soldiers rained down ordnance on the nearby valley. The Syrians called this camp El Murtapha or The Exalted.

As we entered the memorial, we passed numerous steel barriers that are used to slow traffic on high speed avenues of approach. The large tangled steel blockades have an almost artistic quality. They are clustered together near some concertina wire. A very military site that takes on a less ominous appearance when placed innocuously alongside the path rather than in a serpentine formation on a road. It is a subtle design that eases visitors into the somber reminders of the monument.

During the Six Days War, the Golan Brigade was tasked with seizing this outpost. It was a hardened military location, heavily mined, with the advantage of being an elevated fighting position. Not an easy task. The soldiers, along with a Commando Unit led by Ezra Orion, stormed the position and overpowered the Syrian soldiers. The fallen soldiers are memorialized beneath the large sculpture meant to evoke imagery of the steep climb or of bomb shelters where many civilians were forced to live for extended periods of time. The memorial was designed by Orion along with Gershon Knispal. It is traditional for Jewish people to place stones upon a grave site. The memorial is covered in stones for visitors who wish to respect the fallen in that manner.

The fortifications were left in place at this memorial. A not-so-subtle reminder of the fierce fighting required to take this hardened position. In fact, the park was carefully constructed through the minefields that were placed and have not been fully cleared. So it is important to stay on the path as you navigate the memorial. There may still be mines buried. In fact, signs on the fences serve as a somber reminder of the danger that still exists.

Gadot Lookout has an interesting dichotomy. For the military-minded, the strategic importance of this location is hard to miss. It is a high point overlooking a valley alongside a major route into another country. It serves as the perfect place to dig in to prevent use of the road. For the traveler, the panoramic views of Hula Valley are serene. The contradiction had an impact on me. The tenuous balance between peace and war. Scenery as strategy. It was subtle, but impossible to avoid. I sat on the slope beneath a large eucalyptus tree and absorbed and reflected. It was an excellent opportunity to reflect and think deep thoughts.

If you are traveling to the Golan Heights, this is a relaxing, reflective place to stop. Pay homage to the fallen, walk the paved pathways, enjoy the scenery. You can even see Mount Hermon from this perch. There are restroom and a small shop for refreshments across the street. While it is a little way off the beaten path, it is worth a side trip. I am really glad we did not miss this unplanned opportunity.

A Christian Guide to Israel

Hotels
Cinema Hotel Tel Aviv, Israel
Ron Beach Hotel, Tiberias, Israel
Prima Park Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel

Attractions
Caesarea National Park Caesarea, Israel
Mount Precipice Mount Kedimum, Israel
Sea of Galilee Boat Ride Tiberias, Israel
Yigal Alon Museum (Jesus Boat) Ginosar, Israel
Capernaum, Israel
St. Peter’s Restaurant Kinneret, Israel
Caesarea Phillipi Banias, Israel
Israeli 6-Day War Memorial
Jordan River Baptismal Site, Yardenit, Israel
Beit She’an National Park, Beit She’an, Israel
Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel
Garden Tomb, Jerusalem, Israel
Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
Western Wall Tunnels, Jerusalem, Israel
Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem, Israel
Bethlehem New Store Gift Shop
Pool of Bethesda, Jerusalem, Israel
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel
House of Caiaphas the High Priest, Jerusalem, Israel
The Upper Room, Jerusalem, Israel
Tomb of King David, Jerusalem, Israel
Masada National Park, Masada, Israel
The Dead Sea, Masada, Israel

Churches
Discalced Carmelite Monastery Muhraqa, Israel
Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth, Israel
St. Peter’s Church Capernaum, Israel
Church of the Multiplication Tabgha, Israel
Church of the Beatitudes Tabgha, Israel
Church of All Nations, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of Saint Anne, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, Israel
Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank

These photos are my own. They may be used with permission