On June 19th, the second day of our WOFI trip, Brigade Commander Kobi Merom took us on a tour of Israel’s northern borders; we not only learned, but also experienced emotionally the struggles of Israeli soldiers who have put their lives on the line to protect the borders and people of Israel. Our tour was split between visiting and understanding the intricate Lebanese border along the Galilee and the resoundingly quiet Syrian border in the Golan Heights; the Syrian border has not seen violence for over 35 years. The stops we made along these two borders include: Mt. Adir and Metullah, a small town, both along the Lebanese border; the memorial site of 73 soldiers killed in a helicopter crash during the First Lebanon War; and the northernmost point in the Golan Heights contiguous to Syria. With the guiding voice of IDF veteran Merom , two of these locations really spoke to me and helped me understand the broader picture of the IDF predicament in these regions.
Mt. Adir, which is located 3,000 feet above sea level, stands as a clear scope into many battles fought along the Lebanese border between Israel and the changing faces of terrorism in Lebanon. The First Lebanon War, as Kobi explained, is the paradigm of aggressive and decisive behavior on the part of Israel when it comes to terrorism in the northern regions. For almost 20 years, Israel maintained a security zone is Southern Lebanon. However, once Israel retreated from Lebanon entirely, the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah only increased its anti-Israel terrorist activity.
Visiting the Lebanese border truly opened my eyes to the struggles.