Ski resort’s CEO dreams of expanding Hermon site

The site has been declared a closed military zone until the end of the month, and it’s thought that the order will be extended for another month.

By Idan Avni, JNS

We climb toward Mount Hermon’s peak up to the IDF outpost, reaching the northernmost point of Israel’s border. Until two days ago, this marked the international boundary line. No Israeli foot had crossed it, at least not officially.

Now, the path extending into the buffer zone has been cleared. Soldiers from Shaldag, an Israeli Air Force special ops unit, ascended the mountain peak on foot and in jeeps. The “conquest” of Mount Hermon concluded without a single shot being fired.

Shaldag commandos advanced several additional miles from here. There’s no border fence here, only barrels and scattered patches of snow mark the buffer zone with Syria. The Syrian Army abandoned its outpost here years ago.

The location that represents the “eyes of the state” for Israel apparently held no significance for the Syrians. Only U.N. observers and smugglers making their way between Syria and Lebanon remain at the peak.

The Shaldag force that climbed to the summit encountered no Syrian soldiers. They found only a lone Lebanese smuggler making his way with unladen donkeys. He wasn’t particularly concerned about being caught.

His details were recorded, and he continued on his way. Apart from him, there is a U.N. outpost in the area, which the soldiers didn’t approach.

Raphael Naveh, CEO of the Hermon ski site, had the privilege of climbing the Syrian peak with senior officers, or as he calls it: “The New Hermon.” Israel’s only skiing site closed in October 2023; a few employees at the facility are working to prepare it for the upcoming season.

Shaldag commandos on Mount Hermon. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

The ski season won’t open for a while as the cable car cables were damaged, and experts need to come from abroad to repair them. The site has been declared a closed military zone until the end of the month, and it’s thought that the order will be extended for another month.

Only afterward will the site open to visitors. “We’re making repairs and hoping to get the site ready,” says Naveh.

“Many rockets fell here. Some hit equipment, the cable was torn. All the windows in the site offices were hit by shrapnel. If we hadn’t taken immediate action, the entire cable would have fallen, and it would have been very difficult to repair,” he related.

Alpinist Unit’s disappointment

From the peak, a view of the Hula Valley in Israel spread before us, with Lebanon’s Shouf Mountains on the other side. On a clear day, you can see Damascus, 43.5 miles away.

Israel holds 7% of Mount Hermon, with the ski site occupying just 1% of the area.

The IDF’s Alpinist Unit is a reservist force specializing in combat in snow and low temperatures. Near the ski site, Alpine unit soldiers are working with snow plows and snow cats as part of their winter preparations, although winter hasn’t really arrived here yet.

According to the forecast, snow might fall here in a week.

The Alpinists were noticeably disappointed that the Hermon “capture” was given to Shaldag. It’s understandable. Those responsible for operational activities in the snow for the past 50 years were left out of the operational picture.

The Alpinist soldiers know that when snow falls, conditions on the mountain will change. Untrained forces won’t survive here for one day.

“We know how to reach every spot on the mountain,” says Naveh, “movement will only be possible in snow cats. They’ll also need to prepare for stays at the mountain peak.”

The Alpinist Unit is small and highly skilled. Now that the Hermon area has more than doubled, additional soldiers need to be trained.

According to IDF assessments, Syrian rebels won’t approach here in winter. The harsh conditions won’t allow infiltration from here, at least not without the help of smugglers, who are the only ones who know how to navigate and operate in high mountain conditions.

IDF Alpinist Unit soldiers during an exercise on Mount Hermon. Photo by Haim Azulay/Flash90.

Below zero

Night temperatures here drop below freezing, and the mountain winds create harsh conditions even without snow. The winter sun is warm but this changes after dark. The IDF will need to prepare for stays with special equipment. Everyone understands that when snow falls, the Alpinist Unit will take command.

Naveh dreams about expanding the ski site. Building in Syrian territory is a pipe dream, but expanding the ski runs into the enlarged military area—that’s a dream that could come true.

“Once, I had a plan to put slopes on the border. To prepare for a peace ski site, where more sites would be established and the slopes would connect like in Europe,” he says with a smile.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

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