Golan Heights: A Storied Past, An Unpredictable Future
...overlooking the Huleh Valley in Israel and the Al Raquad Valley in Syria sits a plateau, which rises to between 700 and 1,400 feet above sea level and is perhaps the most strategic piece of land in the Middle East, depending on one's perspective. (Jewish Virtual Library, 2001) The antiquities left behind by the Romans, Turks, Greeks, and Mongols, just to name a few of the empires that have conquered this area, date back several centuries. This relatively small area of land, roughly the size of Queens, New York, is approximately 40-45 miles long and 15.5 miles across at its widest point, and controls the Kinneret, Israel's only lake and foremost water resource. (Bard, 2002) This much-disputed piece of land is called the Golan Heights.
Israel's History of the Golan Heights
Israel's claim to the Golan Heights dates back centuries to Biblical times when Abraham promised the Bashan Region, the Biblical name for the Golan Heights, to the people of Israel. Israeli citizens did not settle in the Golan, however, until the First Temple Period, which began in 953BC. Half of the Israeli tribe of Menasseh settled in Transjordan and later named the area after another Biblical city of the same name, Golan. (Web Golan) During this era, the town acted as a refuge for criminals awaiting trial, which could also account for the town's name, as the word "golah" means exile. In 732BC, the Israelis were exiled from the Golan by an Asyrian Emperor, Tiglath-Pileser II, and did not return to Bashan until after 586BC, which was the start of the Second Temple Period. From 732BC to 586BC, the Asyrian Emperor populated the entire region with citizens from various parts of his empire. When the Israelis returned to their homes, though, they lived in peace alongside the non-Jewish inhabitants. (Camera Media Report,1995) The Golan Heights changed hands several more times and was...
View Full Essay
