Mitzpe Golani (Tel Faher)

Golan

North

Opening Hours:

Daylight hours, 7 days a week

רמת קושי:

    משך הטיול:

      עונות:

        רמת קושי

          משך הטיול

            עונות

                    About the memorial site: Mitzpe Golani is a battle site from the 1967 Six-Day War. It is also a memorial for the IDF soldiers of the 12th Battalion of the Golani Brigade who fell here in a victorious but costly battle. (The site’s original Arabic name is Tel Faher; after the war, the site’s official name was changed to Mitzpe Golani, in honor and in memory of the Golani Brigade.)

                    By walking in and around the trenches and bunkers of the Syrian fort that stood here before 1967, one can understand the huge challenge faced by those soldiers who attacked from below. The signs and voice machines help tell the story of this iconic battle, and also bring the personal stories of the soldiers to the general public.

                    The battle: The battle of Tel Faher in the northern Golan during the Six-Day War is one of the biggest stories of bravery in IDF history. The Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion has made this site a memorial for all of its soldiers who fell in battle.

                    hide

                    Visiting Suggestions: Leave your car in the parking lot and walk to the west on the path, which is marked with signs and explanations. Go into the Syrian trenches and bunkers that were used until 1967. The path leads to a memorial area in the center of the site with the names of 59 soldiers of the 12th Battalion who have fallen in various IDF battles. There is another memorial area at the front of the fort, with the names of 32 soldiers who fell in the battle here on Tel Faher.

                    Along the path, you can listen to the voice stations that explain the stages of the battle and its aftermath, and mention personal stories of soldiers. From the excellent lookout spot at the western edge of the site, one can understand the strategic importance of the tel, that looms above the northern part of the Hula Valley and of the Banias area that bridges between the valley and the Golan Heights.

                    Arrival: From Sion Junction (where Road 99 meets Road 999), drive west on Road 99 for 2.7 kilometers. Turn right on an old road (there’s a small sign there pointing towards Mitzpe Golani) and drive for 400 meters until you come to a fork in the road. Turn left (don’t go straight) and drive on the TAP-Line Road for 1.9 kilometers, and then turn right, into the parking lot of Mitzpe Golani.

                    *Throughout the Golan, there are many IDF historical sites that include memorials, trenches, and bunkers. These are all silent witnesses to the terrible battles that took place in the Golan, in which IDF soldiers defended the State of Israel at the risk of their lives. For a map of memorials in the Golan, press here.

                    מפת אטרקציות גולניות