Hi,
I have seen this building while running around Har Adar. A concrete cube with a gazelle statue on top. It is the Sanatorium post. One of the War of independece posts of Ma’ale HaHamisha and Kiryat Anavim.
There is another one just at the entrance to Kiryat Anavim military cemetery (also with a gazelle on top of it), and a much bigger one at the entrance to Ma’ale HaHamisha industrial area.
We took a nice Saturday morning walk there with Jannaeus, Aba, Fatma and my niece.
The gazelle statue is in memorial to dead soldiers after the Biblical pueme “A gazelle lies slain on your heights, Israel” (Samuel 2 1:19). That King David sang upon the death of Jonathan, son of King Saul, Gazelle here symbolizes a human dignitary.
The place was built in 1936 during the Arab rebilion. It is called the Sanatorium post after the British Sanatorium that was built by the British army not far away. Back then the slope was clear from trees it was a weak spot in the defense of Kibbutz Kiryat Anavim.
It is 3 meter long on 3 meter wide with 3 stories. The walls have been thicken during the years up to 40cm, but the post only could stand light weaponry.
During independence war , Israel Shapira found his death in this place while defending Ma’ale HaHamisha and the retreating forces from the Radar (today Har Adar) and . On 26th of May the Jordanian forces reconquered the Radar and tried to progress to Ma’ale Hamisha and to Tel-Aviv road.
The Jordanian force was led by 4 armored cars with cannon. Shapira was sent out with his force to help the defender of the post with the second machine gun (the first was already in the post). Shapira ordered the others to hold the area around, while he was left alone in the top of the post with the machine gun to command and set the fire. Not long after several cannon shells hit the post and Shapira was killed.
Later the armored cars were stopped by the IDF soldiers with Molotov cocktail and explosives bags. 19 soldiers were killed during the fight.
The post held another Jordanian attack from Har Adar on the 30th of May that year.
After the war, and until Six day war in 1967, the green line passed in the creek between the post and Har Adar. What makes Har Adar clearly a west bank settelment 😏
Take care
Gad
The Sanatorium post with the gazelle statue on top
And from the east where the cannon shells holes can be seen
A memorial sign of Israel Shapira on the post.
The entrance to the post on the west
The door behind the wall
The post original door
Reinforced concrete slab on steel beams
Looking South-East from the post toward Jerusalem (in the horizon)
Looking North-East toward Har Adar, the direction from which the Jordanian attacks came
Looking East from the top of the post toward the creek leading to Kiryat Anavim
A writing on the wall in memory of Israel Shapira
What is left of the Sanatorium on which the Sanatorium post named
An explanation sign about the Sanatorium post near the Sanatorium
The post near Ma’ale HaHamisha industrial behind the trees
The post from the road
A clear view of the post