We're driving thru the Jezreel Valley Jezreel Valley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and are told that there was a tsunami 100,000 years ago that filled the valley with water. This water slowly receded over the next 40,000 creating the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, which, because of more evaporation than rainfall, became extremely salty. We pass the first kibbutz, Gania, established in 1909 next to the Sea of Galilee. It was not started with the same social outlook as kibbutzim that followed. It was started by a bunch of kids who knew nothing about farming but wanted to farm in the holy land. Luckily for them, the land was very fertile and they prospered.
We arrive at Gesher on the Jordanian border where important battles in the war for independence occurred.
Ronit tells us the story of Pinchas Rutenberg and his electric company. The King of Jordan gives Rutenberg the rights to build plant in exchange for electricity and money. The plant took 7 years to build and the King leases the land to Rutenberg for 70 years (1927 - 1997) but a few wars intercede.The plant produced 90% of the electricity of Israel until the Jordanians bombed the plant in 1948. She also told of the battles that were fought here against the British trained Jordanian army. Old Gesher,israel attractions, israel tours, private tour israel ...
Ronit tells us about the Arab nations dropping flyers for 2-3 weeks prior to War of Independence advising the Arab residents to evacuate their homes, let the Arab armies drive the Israelis into the sea and then return to their Judenfrei land 2 weeks later. Well, things didn't quite turn out that way but none of the surrounding Arab nations (Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Egypt) would accept these Arab refugees. The cease fire gave Israel international borders but not peace.
We next hear tales of biblical battles fought here eons ago by Saul, his sons and his heirs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul Some it sounds more brutal than "King of Thrones".
We then travel to Meggido. The original name of the area is Har Megiddo (mountain water of Giddo) which is translated into English as "Armageddon. Looking out onto the Jezreel Valley from Megiddo, you can see why the ancients thought the final battle of good vs. evil would take place here. If ever there was a place on earth that looks like a battlefield, this is it.
Megiddo has a 7,000 year history and was conquered 25 times (but whose counting). Megiddo controlled the road from Egypt to Mesopotamia and was finally abandoned in the 4th century BCE. You can see Mt. Tabor from the top of the ruins. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tabor
We took a tour of the cistern down 183 steps and through a tunnel and then back up again. Pretty spooky.
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