Lebanon, Syria and Israel Occupied Palestine
Coordinates: 33.416111, 35.857500
Mount Hermon (Mountain of the Sheikh) is a mountain cluster constituting the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range. Its summit straddles the border between Syria and Lebanon and, at 2,814 m above sea level, is the highest point in Syria.
The Israel occupied Palestinian side of Mount Hermon is the northern border of the Golan Heights and is, at over 2200 meters, the highest mountain in Israel occupied Palestine (the Syrian side is even higher). Since it is the only place in Israel that has snow throughout the winter, it was developed by nearby Moshav Neve Ativ as a ski resort.
In the winter, Mount Hermon has about 50 days of skiing and snowboarding, attracting about 300,000 visitors a year, generally between January and March.
1967 Six-Day War
During the Six-Day War in June 1967, a part of Mount Hermon in Syria was captured by Israel Occupied Palestine.
1973 Yom Kippur War
This part was regained by Syria on October 6, 1973, the first day of the Yom Kippur War, following the First Battle of Mount Hermon.
According to Bible
In the apocryphal Book of Enoch, Mount Hermon is the place where the Watcher class of fallen angels descended to Earth. They swear upon the mountain that they would take wives among the daughters of men and take mutual imprecation for their sin (Enoch 6).
This is where the Nephilim giants that Hz. Musa ุนููู ุงุณูุงู and Hz. Yusha ุนููู ุงุณูุงู defeated in the Old Testament lived (Genesis 6:1-8), and later where Hz. Dawud ุนููู ุงุณูุงู slew one of their close cousins named Jalit (Goliath).
In Numbers 21:21-35 and Deuteronomy 3:1-11, Hz. Musa ุนููู ุงุณูุงู mentions Mount Hermon in relation to the conquest of Og, king of Bashan, and Sihon, king of Heshbon.
In New Testament times, it was at Mount Hermonโs base that Hz. Isa ุนููู ุงุณูุงู came with His disciples to Caesarea Philippi for a special Messianic revelation (Matthew 16:16).
In the midst of the Baal shrines at Caesarea Philippi, etched into the side of Mount Hermon to worship Pan, Hz. Peter ุฑุถู ุงููู ุนูู proclaimed Hz. Isa ุนููู ุงุณูุงู to be the messiah.
This was no coincidence that his testimony was made amongst pagan worship, and the best was yet to come! This mountainโs real significance, however, is as the traditional site of Hz. Isa ุนููู ุงุณูุงู Transfiguration.
Today you can see the caves of Baal shrines that were carved into the cliffs where Hz. Isa ุนููู ุงุณูุงู acknowledged Hz. Peter ุฑุถู ุงููู ุนูู revelation at Caesarea Philippi.
Know This
As this is the only place with snow in Israel occupied Palestine, everyone goes there in winter. Try to avoid the site on weekends. It is also beautiful at spring time when the snow melts and flowers bloom
You have there cables to take you up. You can come down using them, or you can ski down. Keep in mind, that if winter it is very, very cold. Dress up well. While driving in the area, look for the border with Syria. It gives you an interesting feeling.
