Background: In the past, the Egoz Unit functioned as a reconnaissance unit for the Northern Command of the IDF. They fought terrorists that attempted to enter Israel via Mt. Hermon. This memorial site, located next to the gravesite of Nebi Hazuri, and at the start of the Nachal Hazuri hike, includes 31 intimate corners of remembrance in nature, in memory of the fallen soldiers of the unit.
About the Memorial: The memorial site covers a large area within the Hermon Nature Reserve, with 31 personal remembrance corners built out of the local basalt stone, as part of the natural scenery. In every corner, a bronze plate displays the name of the soldier who died, his date of death, and the unit’s insignia. In the northwestern section of the site, there is a designated place for communal gathering, where memorial ceremonies and unit events are held.
About the Unit: The Egoz unit was first established in 1956 in the wake of the Kadesh Operation, by the commanding officer of the IDF Northern Command, Yitzchak Rabin z”l. The unit’s aim was to counter any Syrian military offensives. The name Egoz (which means “nut”) is a Hebrew acronym for Anti-Guerrilla Warfare. The unit was disbanded a few months after it was founded, due to an incident in which a soldier was killed by “friendly fire.” In 1963, the unit was revived, and by April of 1968, the unit was battalion-size. Besides defensive missions, the Egoz unit also participated in small offensive attacks behind enemy lines. Until the 1970’s, the unit’s soldiers continued to fight terrorists in northern Israel; but after the 1973 Yom Kippur War (which was a surprise attack at the cost of many lives), there was a lack of tank soldiers. The unit was therefore again disbanded, and its soldiers joined the IDF armored forces. In 1995, it was revived once again; this time it became part of the Golani Brigade, and functioned as an anti-terrorist guerrilla force in the Northern Command of the IDF, specifically in Lebanon. In 2015, the Egoz Recon Unit left Golani and became part of the IDF “Oz” Commando Brigade.
