Tel Facher is a Syrian military base captured during the 1967 Six Day War by Israel, and represents an incredibly important military battle for Israel. Prior to the war, Syria had used their raised position to shell the upper Galilee and cause both casualties and physical damage to the kibbutzim and settlements in the area. When Syria declared war on Israel the shelling intensified and kibbutz residents were forced to live underground. With Israel being attacked from several fronts, they just didn’t have the resources to defend the north. After 4 days, Egypt and Jordan had agreed to ceasefires after major Israeli victories, and Moshe Dayan turned his attention to the Golan Heights.
They caught the Syrians off-guard by attacking their most fortified point. Israeli ground troops were inside the base before the Syrians knew what was happening, and a 3 hour battle ensued, called Operation Hammer. Within 31 hours, the Golan Heights had fallen and has been controlled by Israel ever since. The residents of the North were now safe from Syrian attack and the IDF now had a strategic height advantage over Syria.
Today, the bunkers and trenches of Tel Facher are largely intact, and is now known as the Golani Lookout. Here you can explore the base, learn about the battle in detail, and commemorate the many fallen soldiers who lost their lives in in battle. A memorial lists the names of all the Golani soldiers that died here, and the yellow and green Golani flag flies besides the Israeli flag.
Visitors can experience the base with guided tours and recorded commentaries in English and Hebrew. You can also walk through the Syrian trench system and the fortified bunkers. The high-altitude position offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Hula Valley on one side and Syria on the other.