Photo Essay: A rare look at the decimated buildings inside Golan Heights

Text by Caitlin Coyle and Kristina Sorge // Photos by Caitlin Coyle

Golan Heights, SYRIA – Israel invaded the Syrian province of Golan Heights in June of 1967 in a six-day war and seized a portion of land that included rich soil, and an important water source. The occupation included Al-Qunaytirah, a town that was once a regional hub for Syria. Israeli military forces remained there until 1974, when a United Nations’ disengagement agreement called for their withdrawal.

Before returning the land, Israeli forces demolished and defaced the lush, agricultural village of Al-Qunaytirah. The Syrians didn’t repopulate the territory, choosing instead to leave it as a reminder of the occupation. It sits officially inside a UN-monitored demilitarized zone between the enemy countries, and is guarded by trucks printed with the letters UNDOF, or United National Disengagement Observer Force.

Today, all that is left of Golan are the remains of decimated buildings, canvassed with bullet holes and graffiti.

“This governorate has been suffering a lot because of Israeli aggression,” said Rihad Hejab, mayor of the province. There are still 30,000 Syrians who live in the broader occupied territory.

A hallway that was once walked by doctors and nurses is left shattered by the weapons of the Israeli military. The hospital in Quneitra demonstrates the aggression employed by the Israeli forces before returning control of the vicinity. Twisted, rusted pipes are strewn throughout the massive piles of rubble. From the outside the building looks torn, but the real destruction emanates from within the bullet-ridden rooms and deteriorating walls.

A hallway that was once walked by doctors and nurses is left shattered by the weapons of the Israeli military. The hospital in Al-Qunaytirah demonstrates the aggression employed by the Israeli forces before returning control of the vicinity. Twisted, rusted pipes are strewn throughout the massive piles of rubble.

A Syrian structure, built to keep watch over the surrounding areas. Though the aggression has long passed, people in the province are still affected by the Israeli occupation. In a recent press conference, Minister of Information Mohsen Bilal explained the political and humanitarian impact of the Israeli presence in Golan Heights. “The occupation is the mother of all problems in this area,” he said.

Tall barbed wire and land mines surround the grassy knoll that divides the two neighboring countries. They symbolize the deep-rooted conflict that exists between the Syrians and Israelis. The wire stretches far across the Golan, evident not only inside the hospital but along the border with Israel. Though Syria and Israel have ceased fighting, the landmines continue killing innocent civilians.