Hi,
After running in the raging Jordan river, I saw the sign directing to Old Mishmar HaYarden (Guardian of the Jordan) and decided to check. The place is memorial for a settlement (Moshava) that was conquered and demolished during the War of Independence as the defenders could not hold against the attacking Syrian army.
The settlement, founded on 1890, had two rows of houses once against another along the road. It was located near the road that leads to Damascus, and crossing the Jordan river over Daughters of Jacob Bridge, (Bnot Ya’akov Bridge)
The bridge was blown to prevent the invation of the Syrian on War of independence. And later on most of the Moshava had evacuated, leaving 48 men and women to defend it.
On May 17, 1948 (Three days after the independence of war) the place was bombard from the Syrian side, and life continued on the basement beneath the houses. The attack was carried out by two Syrians Brigade crossed the Jordan River in order to advance to Rosh Pina and to disconnect the Upper Galilee from the rest of Israel.
On June 6th a Syrian attack was hold back, but the second attack one on 10th had penetrated the defense of the Moshava. Most of the defenders retreated to the basement of the western house surrounded Syrian Infantry, there they surrendered.
The defenders: the farmers of the Moshava, and Haganah and Etzel reinforcements hold the place for six long days, as long as they had weapon. The fight was from house to house until the last one, where the monument stands, had fallen.
The settlement, had fallen on the 10th of June 1948 (Sivan 3rd Tasach). 8 soldiers died that day, 29 taken in captive and the rest retreated. The settlement was destroyed.
The area was under Syrian control until the end of the war. In the cease fire agreement on July 1949, it was agreed the Syrians will retreat to the International border on the Jordan river.
A new settlement, called Gadot, was founded on the lands of the Moshva (and suffered endless bombardments from the Syrian until Six Day War on 1967). A new Moshav Mishmar HaYarden was founded 2 km west from this point.
Take Care
Gad
The sign from the road to Old Mishmar HaYarden
General view from the other side of the road
An information sign on the fights on the War of Independence on the settlement
A monument for the 15 defenders of Mishmar HaYarden that fell on the fight
Mishmar Hayarden battle information signs
The remains of Shneider’s house to which the defenders retreated – Mishmar Hayarden
An information sign unreadable at most, but with the words of the song Forward Jordan (Haleha Yarden). Mishmar HaYarden
An information sign showing the words of Eliezar Segal, the Moshava chairman, during the fight on 1948: “I will not retreat from here. I was born here, and here I will die”.
An information sign showing the words of Nathan Adler, the Moshava commander, on life during the fight on 1948
An information sign showing the words of Nathan Adler, during the fight on 1948.
An information sign on the construction of the first buildings in the Moshava, 1893.
An information sign showing a laundry part of Rachel Belshnikov’s memories.
An information sign showing part of a report (the inventory) to the Hovevei Zion in Odessa on, 1894.
Info sign on the fights over the important crossing down on the river called Daughters of Jacob Bridge. The sign tells about the fights of Saladin and on WWI
An abandon IDF base on the other side of road. A visitor center is planned to be set on those building.
Looking to the east over the Jordan River. Gadot lookout is on the other side of the slopes.
The ruined remains of the place on 1948