Passover adventure: Explore Syria’s military zone with IDF-led tours 

For the first time since Israel's founding, civilians will be allowed to cross the border fence into Syria and join guided tours inside a restricted military zone during the upcoming Passover holiday, the Israeli military announced. This unprecedented opportunity, granted special authorization by the IDF, will give visitors access to several historically and strategically significant sites.

The tours will include stops at the Roked Stream, the El-Hama Bridge on the Yarmouk River, a tunnel from the historic Hejaz Railway, and a lookout near the Mount Dov site, linked to the biblical "Covenant Between the Pieces." This initiative is a collaboration between the IDF Northern Command, the 210th Division, Keshet Yehonatan educational center, the Golan Field School, the Golan Regional Council, and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

The Roked Stream, which forms part of the border between Israel and Syria, is the longest stream in the Golan Heights, stretching 46 miles (74 kilometers) through rugged cliffs, waterfalls, and natural pools. Until now, this area has been off-limits to the public, and tour participants will have the rare opportunity to swim in the stream’s pools at their own risk.

Another tour will take visitors to the El-Hama Bridge, which crosses the Yarmouk River and was part of the historic Hejaz Railway. The bridge was destroyed in 1946 during the "Night of the Bridges" sabotage campaign by the Jewish underground. The tour will also feature Tunnel 105 and other segments of the historic railway route.

Three of the guided hikes are intended for families with strong hiking abilities, while a fourth, easier route will include a visit to the Mount Dov lookout. Situated in a closed sector of the Hermon ridge, this lookout offers panoramic views of southern Lebanon, the Lebanon Mountains, and the Bekaa Valley. The route to the lookout passes through the scenic Pear Valley and alongside the Arar and Sion streams.

The tours will run in multiple time slots, and advance registration is required by messaging 053-9622500 on WhatsApp.