The Dutch heights, or the Golan, are located northeast and east of the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Tiberias) and are part of the Northern District of Israel, or rather, are controlled by this country.
This is the disputed territory between Syria and Israel, which seized it as a result of the Six Day War, which was fought in the Middle East in 1967 from June 5 to 10. The coalition, which included Egypt and Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Algeria, opposed Israel in this war.
Disputed Territories
In fairness, it must be said that, historically, the Dutch Heights belonged to Israel for more than 3, 000 years and, allegedly, were granted by God. They became part of this country under King David and were part of the Holy (Promised) land.
Syria, however, owned these lands, which entered its province of Kuneitra, for only 21 years. She got the disputed territories as a gift from the French, who, leaving these lands in view of the expiration of the mandate, gave the Dutch heights of Syria solely to annoy the Israelis.
Historical name
What is this territory? From the very beginning, it should be noted that the name of the height was received from the biblical city of Golan. This oldest settlement was located in Bashan, a historical region located on the east coast of the Jordan. Therefore, the correct name for these heights is “Golan”, and not “Dutch”. Holland, the territory of which is mostly below sea level, has no heights, except for sand dunes.
Borders of the Golan
The Golan Heights is a mountain plateau of volcanic origin, which in Israel occupies 1, 150 square kilometers. Its height is 1200 meters above sea level. The western border of these territories, which in the Bible is called the land of Bashan, is Lake Kineret and the upper Jordan, the eastern - the rocks of Trakhona of volcanic origin and the Druze mountains.
The Yarmouk River is the southern border of the Golan, and on the north side these lands are protected by the Hermon Mountains (in Israel there is only 7% of their total area). Ash Sheikh or Hermon is the highest mountain in Israel. It reaches 2236 meters above sea level.
There is something to argue about
The Dutch heights are divided into the Upper and Lower Golan. Naturally, there are very few arable lands in the highlands, mainly herds graze here. But in the lower part there are a lot of land suitable for cultivation. They are located on numerous plains that are interspersed with basalt hills. And if the Upper Golan is called the country of herds, then the Lower Golan is the country of flour, since for both Israel and Syria these lands are the main breadbasket. And here they grow not only wheat, but also cotton, olives, vegetables, almonds and subtropical fruits.
Territory of war
It should be noted that the Dutch heights war never bypassed. Even after the death of Solomon, that is, in the X century BC, the country broke up, and Israel (in the north) and Judea (in the south) arose. In the Golan for 200 years, continuous battles have been waged between the kingdoms of Israel and Aramaic. The kingdom of Israel was periodically destroyed. So in 722 BC, the Assyrians, under the command of the king Tiglath-Palassar, destroyed the country.
The Jews left their promised lands (on which there was never a long peace), but already in the middle of the first millennium BC. e., that is, during the Second Temple, the Golan was returned, but then they became part of the kingdom of Judea.
Symbol of courage
The history of the Dutch Heights is the history of constant wars. In the first century AD (67), the Romans captured the Golan. Jews very courageously defended their rather well-fortified cities. Especially strong resistance was rendered to the Roman invaders by Gamala, which at that time was the capital of the Golan. The fearlessness and sacrifice of the defenders struck the Romans, and the city has for centuries become a symbol of the courage of Israeli soldiers. During the excavations that are being carried out in our time, not a single object or remains of structures were found in these territories that would testify to the presence in those distant times of anyone other than Israelis on these lands. Only synagogues or settlements of ancient Jews are found here.
True owners of the earth
In the 4th century, Byzantines came here who severely persecuted the Jews, and in the 7th century, these Muslim conquerors were replaced. In the 11th century, battles between them and the crusaders begin. And none of the invaders cultivated these lands, except for the Jews, whom the enslavers constantly expelled, and they returned again and turned deserts into gardens. And this fate befell not only the Dutch heights. In Israel or Eretz Yisrael, all territories came to life and flourished when they were settled by Jews and turned into deserts with the advent of the conquerors. One of the most striking examples is Gaza.
Malaria swamps, sands and wastelands have turned into blooming gardens since the formation of Jewish settlements here. 35% of all flower production in Israel gives this territory. And here vegetables and fruits grow in abundance.
Nothing has changed in the 20th century.
400 years (1517-1918) Turkey owned the Golan, turning these lands into desert "backyards of the empire." From 1918 to 1946, Britain and France dominated here, which, as noted above, leaving, “presented” the Golan to the newly emerged new state called Syria.
In 1948, Ben-Gurion proclaimed the creation of a Jewish state. And immediately the war began. After 1967, these territories of heights began to be actively settled by the Israelis; the ancient village of Katzrin was revived. In total, 34 settlements were built here, and the number of inhabitants exceeded 20, 000 people. In 1973, Israel repulsed the Syrian attack and defended the Dutch heights. But the question of how long the peace came, always flew in the air. Israeli jurisdiction was extended to these lands in December 1981 by a decision of the Knesset. But officially the Golan are considered disputed territories.
Distraction maneuver
On October 3, 2015, ISIS launched an offensive at the Dutch Heights. 3000 fighters using rocket artillery set out to capture the former UN observation post, which is located on Mount Cuba. The militants hit the settlements of Jabat al-Khashab and Tranj. ISIS undertook this maneuver in order to divert the Syrian army and the Russian Air Force from Damascus. But today, the Syrian government army has returned all the local gains of the Ishilovites in this area.
