To
gain access to Mount
Scopus and the Jerusalem-Ramallah Road, the task of capturing
Ammunition Hill and the fortified Jordanian Police Training School,
was assigned to IDF Paratroopers. It was
clear that the capture of the hill would be crucial in gaining access
to the Old City.
Today, the site serves as a memorial to all those
who fell in battle for Jerusalem in the Six-Day War. One can easily understand why Ammunition Hill was
the location chosen as a national memorial for the reunification of
Jerusalem.
Built
on a slope, the winding fortified trenches were planned in such a way
that one trench provides cover for other trenches. This was one of
the reasons it was hard for the paratroopers to advance and capture
their target. A huge reinforced concrete bunker also made capturing
the hill difficult. Ultimately, Paratroopers took the hill, only
after blowing the bunker up.
The fighting that took place on the night of June
6, 1967 lasted four hours. In those few short hours 36 men lost their
lives. One of the Six-Day War’s best-known folk songs — Givat
Hatachmoshet — tells the story of the battle that took
place on Ammunition Hill.
This
site is more than just a memorial. There is also a museum, in the
reconstructed bunker. The museum’s arched roof was built to
resemble the buildings that were originally built on the hill by the
British Army, before 1948 (virtually all the original buildings were
destroyed during the Six-Day War).
One might think that only those with a keen
interest in history would be interested in seeing Ammunition Hill.
Yet, even if military history is not a subject that holds great
interest for you, consider seeing it. You will most likely gain a new
appreciation for what Israeli forces had to overcome in reunifying
Jerusalem in 1967, just by visiting the site. Those who do have a
great interest in history will find the movie and exhibits in the
museum interesting. There are detailed explanations of the various
fighting forces and the role, they played in the campaign.
When
visiting a memorial, it is usually far from the actual location. That
is not the case here. If you have drawn a picture, of a hill in some
remote location you will be amazed to see just how close Ammunition
Hill is to Jerusalem’s Route # 1, the Hyatt Regency hotel and Mt.
Scopus. Standing on the hill you will be able to see the Ramot Eshkol
neighborhood, to the west, Nebi Samuel’s peak and the Ramot
neighborhood. The ‘French Hill’ neighborhood is to the northeast
and the Hebrew University’s campus on Mt. Scopus.
