Tag: Judean desert

Hi,
The base we sit in called Judea fortress, and it is named over the line of fortress that run along the edge of the Judaean desert.

The oldest that still have remains on surface is the Roman line of fortress and Israeli line of Judea fortress.

The newest one is the Jordanian one from the period between 1948 and 1967. This line was built mainly to defend Jordan from Israel, and less as line of the defense against the people of the desert. Those are listed from West to East:

• • A – Rawa police (438 m above sea level) – was blow up by Israeli paratroopers in 1956 as part of Jonathan Operation. Remains can still be seen on surface.
  • Rojom a madpha police (719 m above sea level) – blowed up during Samu incident (Magresa operation) in 1966. An open cistern can be found on site and also an ancient Israeli fortress named Hurbat Rujum al-madpha.
  • Lucifer police (907 m above sea level) – damaged during Samu incident (Magresa operation) in 1956. It was the first location of the settlement Beit Yatir. The name comes from the Arabic word for bird – Asfur (the bird = El-Asfur).
  • Um Daraj Police (523 m above sea level) – contain two buildings, one of them is a stable for camels and a cistern). It sits on important junction of desert roads. North of it are the remains of a fortress from Herdonic era used to defend against the desert people.
• Um Daraj Police
  • Rujum a-Naka police (395 m above sea level) – Sits north of Um Daraj police along the way that leads to Tekoa. It contains stable, two watchtowers, a garrison and cistern. North of it are the remains of an Herodonic fortress.
    Rujum a-Naka police
  • Ras A-Turba police (Sea level) – Unfinished structure that its building was started in 1967 and stopped Due to Six days war.

Another Jordanian police that might be part of this line sits east of the Arab village Bani-Naim.

Take care
Gad