Israel Reflections 2015 — Day Four: Har Bental

After our visit at Tzfat, we took a short bus ride into the northern hills to visit Har Bental, a lookout point on the edge of the Golan Heights. With a view into Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, we could all see the importance of geography.

Student Nicholas Sinram shares his experience:

One of the many great experiences on our International Conflict Resolution trip to Israel was our visit to Har Bental.  In addition to the salmon bagel lunch and the Druze fig jam, our excursion to Har Bental gave us the chance to experience the beauty and importance of the region.  The visit to Har Bental also gave us the unique opportunity to learn more about the conflicts throughout the Middle East, the role of the international community in the region, and how this situation affects Israel specifically. golan-picture

We had the amazing luck of running into two U.N. observers. They explained the roles of U.N. peacekeepers and observers. They also shared their experiences, and perspectives on the situation in Syria and the Middle East in general.

On our return trip from Har Bental, we saw the importance of the northern region to Israel, both in terms of agricultural production and also the use and control of the region’s precious water.  We also had the pleasure of experiencing the region’s agricultural products first hand in the form of a quick wine tasting.  Our visit to Har Bental was one of the best experiences of our trip.  In addition to the good food, wine, and company, we had the amazing opportunity to learn about the region and the conflict that plagues it, all from the comfort of a hilltop cafe near Har Bental [cleverly named Coffee Anon for those who follow the UN closely].

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