Prior to the six days war
Ammunition hill was part of a complex which also included the police cadet academy. Dividing the two, was the canal where fighting took place.The complex was established by the British in the early 1930's and was used as the academy's ammunition storage warehouse. After the war of independence this complex remained a Jordanian controlled complex.The ammunition hill fort was one of three complexes meant to stop Israel joining to the western Jerusalem area, which remained an Israeli enclave in eastern Jerusalem. The fort was built from tens of bunkers built over 3 main canals.
The day of the six-day war
The defense of the complex is fortified by 150 soldiers of the Jordanian infantry regiment. Fighting in the police academy complex and the ammunition hill began on June 6th 1967 at 2:30am. The mission to take the hill was given to the 66th regiment of the paratrooper's brigade. At 7 AM the fight was over with the complex taken over. 37 paratoroopers were killed during the operation, 21 of which died on the hill. 10 of the soldiers received heroic decoration, among them Eitan Navae who has fallen during the battle and was later commended for his actions. The commander of the 66th regiment was Yossi Yaff, and the paratroopers brigade commander was Mordechai Gur. Due to the importance of the hill it was decided to announce it as a central site for all the brigades who participated in the battle for the liberation of Jerusalem.
In 1972, on the fifth annual day of remembrance for the liberation, 182 olive trees were planted on the hill in memory of the fallen soldiers, in 1975, on the eighth annual Remembrance Day for the liberation, the site was inaugurated. The site is situated opposite the hill which crosses between the pag"i houses to the Hebrew university buildings. The atmosphere has changed since the war, instead of noises of bombs and screams now there is the sound of cool breeze between the pine trees.
The battle field is covered with green grass, and instead of soldiers fighting there are children playing. The trenches and battle areas have become playgrounds and study places. From the top of the hill one can see the new Jerusalem. Close by, across the road, are the homes of Ramat Eshkol and past that, the buildings of the Ramot neighborhood and Nebi-Samuel. On the way up to Nablus the houses of the French hill and the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus. On the top of the hill there is a museum that tells the tale of the series of battles in Jerusalem .