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| The Golan - A LAND OF MINES A short journey by Omer Hecht (edition of 7, Dec 2007) |
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| The "Golan" is a plateau in the north east end of Israel. Before June 1967 this was part of Syria. The Golan is the most densely mined place on Earth. On either side of the border wait the largest concentration of Israeli and Syrian troops. A large majority of the area's artillery barrels are aimed here. It is believed there are enough Syrian cannons to shell each and every sq. meter in the Golan with one volley. Most of the Golan is unpopulated, the roads are long and narrow. It is eerily quiet and the roads are mostly empty. Rarely do you see other cars. The roads are lined with mine fields and bomb shelters. |
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| The Sea of Galilee, the "Kineret" is the southern border of the Golan. Israeli's believe that returning the Golan to Syria will mean that Syrian troops will rest on this beach. The fear of war, after the 1973 war caught Israeli's off guard while they were observing a Jewish ritual means that many Israeli's still listen to the "silent wave". A silent radio broadcast that will announce any emergency. Kursi Beach, 2005 |
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| The long winding roads are hidden by long thick tree lines, to camouflage them from Syrian artillery. The trees make for blind corners, that only want to make you go faster and faster. After i set up my tent, i spent the rest of the night talking to Lux. Road 808 south, 2005 |
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| Mt. Bental overlooks the abandoned city of Kuneitra, that is in the middle of the demilitarized zone. The Syrians refuse to rebuild the city after 2 wars and 7 years of Israeli occupation left it in ruins. Israeli's tend to downplay their role in the city's looting and destruction. Mt. Bental, 2005 |
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| This road connects most of the outposts in this sector. Once, when i was a soldier here, I woke up one morning and could see all the way form Mt. Hermon in the east to the Mediterranean in the west. This guy was just like me. He had spent the entire week on the road, clocking as many miles as possible. Naturally, he is wearing a shirt with his army unit's symbol on it, even though he has long since been discharged. Near "Matat" outpost, 2005 |
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| The cease-fire lines mark the de-facto borders. Sometimes they move around, floating the gun powder smelling air. Metula is a spit away from a Hezbollah outpost, and a short ride to Damascus. In 2005 this was just another army patrolled red roof town. Now the atmosphere is so tense you can eat it. Metula, 2005 |
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| After 800KM to the north and back in two days, i made it home. Now it's time to leave for good. West Jerusalem, 2005 |
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| Across from a new loading ramp, built for the most recent war, the still smell of death is ever present. A DEAD BORE. Road 918 south, Oct. 2007 |
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| The road block, at the 90 degree corner that leads to Kuneitra is gone. My father was here in 1973, then again in 1982. He says that people have been at war never talk about it. Mt. Bental 2007 |
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| The smell of the recent war is still present. It is mixed with the sound of fake idleness everyone here enjoys so much. The old beat up and dust covered patrol jeeps are gone. The soldiers are the same arrogant assholes they always were. Aloney Habashan, 2007 |
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| Me and Lux stopped or lunch at this bunker. An army patrol rolled up to check us out. We watched for a long hour how they tried to turn the hummer around in a tight squeeze. Omer and Lux, Oct. 2007. |
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| Sand bags over a bunker at Aloney Habashan. Give gas, before it's all over. |