Hi,
We are about to visit the Ruqqad stream, during our visit to Border Triangle 📐 (between Jordan, Syria and Israel). The name of the stream comes from Arabic and it means sleepy or lie down as it flows slowly on its northern part slowly before it get down and stream beneath Basalet and chalk cliffs (In total The river flows for 74 km till it join the Yarmuk river)
The stream starts on the southern slopes of the Mount Hermon, not far from Quneitra, it then flows slowly parallel to the Israeli – Syrian border (the stream gets its name from this part). The stream falls into a creek on a waterfall below the Basalt layer and cut into the Chalk layer below.
Where the line of volcanoes on Golan Heights ends, the Ruqqad turns South – west. Into a 20 km long creek where it sets the southern natural border of Golan heights. In it southern part, on the last 6 km, it run inside Israel along the Syrian – Israeli border.
In this place you can hike along the stream inside Israel, but because it is the border with Syria, it is a closed Military area. Not long time ago, the area of Syria next to Ruqqad was held by ISIS (this is why we set land mines there). You can only enter the place with a special military approval and a military escort is needed. 25 hikers visited there first on the end of October 2021 (29th) for the first and last time for now.
Take Care
Gad
https://103fm.maariv.co.il/programs/media.aspx?ZrqvnVq=IIDKJF&c41t4nzVQ=EF
The stream before it flows to the Yarmouk (Source: Walla.co.il, Evyatar Lichtman, Keshet Yonatan)
The caves on the tell above the border triangle (Source: Walla.co.il, Evyatar Lichtman, Keshet Yonatan)
Below the tell there is on an obstacle on the Yarmouk river. This just after the Ruqqad flows to the Yarmouk.
A closer look on the obstacle on the Yarmok river not long after the Ruqqad joint it to prevent Syrian to enter Israel or the Jordan (source: tourgolan.org.il)
The obstacle to prevent Syrian penetrations A close look on the obstacle (Source: Walla.co.il, Evyatar Lichtman, Keshet Yonatan)
The Ruqqad creek (Source:Wikimedia.com)
https://travel.walla.co.il/item/3167355 – A visit to Syria, before the civil war
https://www.hadashot-esi.org.il/report_detail.aspx?id=25323&mag_id=125 – The Ruqqad fortress
https://mhg.rgl.org.il/?item=287§ion=87 – The Ruqqad fortress