At the summit of Har Adir, one of the highest peaks in the western Galilee, stands a memorial to the soldiers who fell in the Second Lebanon War of 2006. The memorial, set against a panorama that stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the mountains of Lebanon, is one of the most moving military memorials in Israel, and the mountain itself is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the north.
The Second Lebanon War
The 2006 war began when Hezbollah fighters crossed the northern border, killed three Israeli soldiers, and kidnapped two others. The 34-day war that followed saw intense fighting in southern Lebanon and thousands of rockets fired at Israeli cities and towns. 121 Israeli soldiers and 44 civilians were killed.
The memorial at Har Adir commemorates the fallen with a series of stone monuments set into the mountainside. The names of the soldiers are inscribed on the stones, and the setting, open sky above and the Galilee below, gives the memorial a sense of both grief and grandeur.
The View
Har Adir stands at 1,072 meters, and the 360-degree view from the summit is among the best in the Galilee. The Mediterranean is visible to the west. The mountains of Lebanon rise to the north. The upper Galilee rolls away to the east. And on a clear day, you can see Safed perched on its hilltop in the distance.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
Hoshen Tours includes Har Adir in western and upper Galilee itineraries, combining the memorial with Rosh Hanikra, Yehi’am Fortress, and the Galilee countryside.