We went to the Golan Heights in the morning today. It was captured by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War. Being, in effect, controlled by Israel for almost 40 years, no other country has recognized Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights. Yesterday, however, the U.S. became the first country other than Israel to recognize it as part of Israel. The recent news had made our visit to the Golan Heights particularly interesting.
Everywhere in the Golan Heights, we could see evidence of war. Israeli Army bases are armed with weapons ready to defend Golan Heights; abandoned bunkers litter the mountains separating Syria from Israel. On top of Merom Golan, a large hill close to the Syrian border, we were told that an Israeli intelligence tower overhears every movement from the border to Damascus. Syria is only a few kilometers away from the mountain top. Until last year, bombing could be seen and heard in Syria during the Syrian Civil War. Yet only UN troops or local Druze villagers are allowed to cross the border with Syria. To the others, the thin strip of land in front of our eyes are off limits. Unlike the border with Lebanon we saw two days earlier, landmines and barbed wire still occupy most of hillsides. Although Golan Heights is showered with so much war and trauma, it is in considerable peace today. Large-scale farms and orchards are visible from the mountain. Golan Heights is also the first area in Israel to attempt using wind turbines to generate its electricity. Without blaming either side for the capture of Golan Heights, it is hopeful to see the future development of this area.