Mount Scopus (
HebrewHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Culturally, it is considered a Jewish language. Hebrew in its modern form is spoken by more than seven million people in Israel while Classical Hebrew has been used for prayer or study in Jewish communities around the world for over...
הַר הַצּוֹפִים (
Har HaTzofim),
ArabicArabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and the Neo-Aramaic languages. In terms of speakers, the Arabic macrolanguage is the largest member of the Semitic language family. It is spoken by more than 280 million people as...
جبل المشارف ,
جبل المشهد ,
جبل الصوانة) (meaning Lit. Mount "Look Out") is a mountain (elevation: 2710 feet or 826 meters above sea level) in northeast
JerusalemJerusalem is the capital of Israel and its largest city in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if disputed East Jerusalem is included...
,
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
. Overlooking
JerusalemJerusalem is the capital of Israel and its largest city in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if disputed East Jerusalem is included...
, Mount Scopus has been strategically important as a base from which to attack the city since antiquity. A
Roman LegionLegio duodecima Fulminata , also known as Paterna, Victrix, Antiqua, Certa Constans, and Galliena, was a Roman legion, levied by Julius Caesar in 58 BC and which accompanied him during the Gallic wars until 49 BC. The unit was still guarding the Euphrates River crossing near Melitene at the...
camped there in 66 CE. Again in 70 CE Mount Scopus was used as a base to carry out a siege of the city by the 12th,
15thLegio quinta decima Apollinaris was a Roman legion. It was recruited by Octavian in 41/40 BC. The emblem of this legion was probably a picture of Apollo, or of one of his holy animals....
and
5thLegio quinta Macedonica was a Roman legion. It was probably originally levied by consul Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus and Octavian in 43 BC, and it was stationed in Moesia at least until 5th century. Its symbol was the bull, but the eagle was used as well...
Legions (the
10thLegio decima Fretensis was a Roman legion levied by Augustus in 41/40 BC to fight during the period of civil war that started the dissolution of the Roman Republic...
legions position being on the
Mount of OlivesThe Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge in east Jerusalem with three peaks running from north to south. The highest, at-Tur, rises to 818 meters . It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes...
). The
CrusadersThe Crusaders are a New Zealand rugby union team based in Christchurch that compete in the Super 14 . They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history. The franchise represents the Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, Tasman, and West Coast provincial rugby unions...
used it as a base in 1099. As a result of the
1948 Arab-Israeli WarThe 1948 Arab–Israeli War, known by Israelis as the War of Independence or War of Liberation and by Palestinians as the Catastrophe , was the first in a series of wars fought between the newly declared State of Israel and its Arab neighbours in the long-running Arab-Israeli conflict.The war...
, parts of Mount Scopus became an UN protected Jewish property exclave within
JordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in Western Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba. Jordan shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, the Gulf of Aqaba to the southwest,...
ian-occupied territory until the
Six-Day WarThe Six-Day War of June 5-10, 1967 was a war between the Israel army and the armies of the neighboring states of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The Arab states of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria also contributed troops and arms. At the war's end, Israel had gained control of the...
in 1967. Today, Mount Scopus lies within the municipal boundaries of the
city of JerusalemJerusalem is the capital of Israel and its largest city in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if disputed East Jerusalem is included...
.
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Construction of the Mount Scopus campus of the
Hebrew UniversityThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel's oldest university....
began in 1918 on land purchased from the Gray Hill estate. The dedication ceremony was held in 1925 in the presence of many dignitaries. A design for the university campus by Sir
Patrick GeddesSir Patrick Geddes was a Scottish biologist, known also for his innovative thinking in the fields of urban planning and education. He was responsible for introducing the concept of "region" to architecture and planning and is also known to have coined the term "conurbation" .- Biography :Patrick...
positioned the university buildings on the slopes of the mount, below a domed, hexagonal Great Hall recalling the Star of David, as a counterpoint to the octagonal Dome of the Rock in the Old City. This plan was never implemented, but Geddes designed the university Library, today the Hebrew University Faculty of Law on Mount Scopus.
By 1947, the university was a solid research and teaching institution with humanities, science, medicine, education and agriculture departments (in
RehovotRehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about 20 km south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2007 the city had a total population of 106,200. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of...
), a national library, a university press and an adult education center. The university had a student population of over 1,000 and 200 faculty members.
Botanical Garden
The Hebrew University Botanical Garden on Mount Scopus was founded by botanist Alexander Aig in 1931. This garden contains one of the largest collections of Israeli uncultivated plants. This was the first home of Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo. A cave in the garden has been identified as the Tomb of
NicanorNicanor or Nikanor may refer to:In ancient history:* Nicanor , 4th century BCE; an officer of Cassandrus* Nicanor , 4th century BCE; Macedonian officer, governor of Media under Antigonus...
of
AlexandriaAlexandria , with a population of 4.1 million, is the second-largest city in Egypt, and is the country's largest seaport, serving about 80% of Egypt's imports and exports...
, who donated one of the gates of
HerodHerod is a name used of several kings belonging to the Herodian Dynasty of Roman Iudaea Province:...
's
TempleA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
.
Hadassah Hospital
In 1939, the
HadassahHadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America is an American Jewish volunteer women's organization. Founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, it is now one of the largest Jewish organizations, with some 270,000 members around the world, most of them women....
Women's Organization opened a teaching hospital on Mount Scopus in a building designed by architect Erich Mendelsohn. In 1948, when the Jordanians occupied East Jerusalem and blockaded the road to Mount Scopus, the hospital could no longer function. In 1960, after running clinics in various locations, the organization opened a medical center on the other side of the city, in Jerusalem's Ein Karem neighborhood.
On April 13, 1948, a
civilian convoyThe Hadassah medical convoy massacre took place on April 13, 1948, when a convoy, escorted by Haganah militia, bringing medical and fortification supplies and personnel to Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus was ambushed by Arab forces....
bringing medical supplies and personnel to Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus was attacked by Arab forces. 78 Jews, mainly doctors and nurses, were killed in the ambush.
Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center
The construction of the
Brigham Young University Jerusalem CenterThe Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies , situated on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, Israel, is a satellite campus of Brigham Young University , the largest religious university in the United States...
, owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Mount Scopus initially sparked controversy due to concerns that the Mormons would engage in missionary activities. After the Mormons pledged not to proselytize in Israel, work on the building was allowed to proceed. The Mormon University, as it is commonly known, commands a panoramic view of Jerusalem and has won awards for its stunning architecture.
Jordan-Israel armistice agreement
After the
ceasefireA ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces.-World War I:On December 24, 1914,...
agreement of November 30, 1948, which established the division of East and West Jerusalem, Israel was alloted control of the western part of the city while Jordan controlled the east. Several demilitarized "
no man's landNo man's land is a term for land that is not occupied or more specifically land that is under dispute between countries or areas that will not occupy it because of fear or uncertainty...
" zones were established along the border, one of them Mount Scopus. Fortnightly convoys carrying supplies to the university and hospital located in the Israeli part of the demilitarized zone on Mount Scopus were periodically held up by Jordanian troops.
Article VIII of the
armistice agreementThe 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and neighboring Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agreements ended the official hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and established armistice lines between Israel and the Jordanian-held West Bank,...
signed by the governments of
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
and
JordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in Western Asia spanning the southern part of the Syrian Desert down to the Gulf of Aqaba. Jordan shares borders with Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, the Gulf of Aqaba to the southwest,...
in April 1949, called for a resumption of "the normal functioning of the cultural and humanitarian institutions on Mount Scopus and free access thereto; free access to the Holy Places and cultural institutions and use of the cemetery on the Mount of Olives; resumption of operation of the
LatrunLatrun is a strategic hilltop in the Ayalon Valley overlooking the road to Jerusalem. It is located 25 kilometers west of Jerusalem and 14 kilometers southeast of Ramla.-Etymology:...
pumping station; provision of electricity for the Old City; and resumption of operation of the railroad to Jerusalem."
In January 1958, Francis Urrutia, a representative of the UN Secretary-General, tried to persuade Jordan to abide by Article VIII, but without success. In May 1958, Jordanian soldiers fired on Israeli patrols, killing a UN officer and four Israeli policemen.
Ralph BuncheRalph Johnson Bunche was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. He was the first person of color to be so honored in the history of the Prize. He was involved in formation and administration of the United...
, assistant to UN Secretary-General
Dag HammarskjöldDag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat and author and was the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. He served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. He is the only person to have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously....
visited Jerusalem and Amman to find a solution, followed by Hammarskjöld himself, again unsuccessfully.
Local area commanders agreements
The Mount Scopus Agreement signed on July 7, 1948 regulated the demilitarised zone around Mount Scopus and authorized the Chief of Staff of the
United Nations Truce Supervision OrganizationThe United Nations Truce Supervision Organization is an organization founded on 29 May 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. Its primary task was providing the military command structure to the peace keeping forces in the Middle East to enable the peace keepers to observe and maintain the...
and his representative to settle disputes between the Israelis and Jordanians. Two Jewish-owned plots in
al-Issawiyaal-Issawiya is a Palestinian village in East Jerusalem. Located on Mount Scopus under the Hadassah Hospital down to the Red Khan on the Jericho Road with French Hill immediately to the north. It was part of a Jordanian and Israeli demilitarized zone on Mount Scopus within Jordanian territory.In...
, known as Gan Shlomit or Salomons Garden, were purchased by Mrs. V.F. Salomons in 1934 and sold to the Gan Shlomit Company, Ltd. in 1937. This land was surrounded by a fence, but clashes erupted when Arabs living on the other side of the fence sought to cultivate land, pick olives and carry out repairs on homes close to the fence. The Arabs were requested not to work closer than fifty metres from the fence unless prior permission was granted by the Israeli police. There were two versions of the The demilitarization agreement one was initialled by Franklyn M. Begley, a UN official; the local Jordanian commander and the Israeli local commander. The other was not initialled by the Israeli local commander. Having two versions of the map was the cause many incidents within the Mount Scopus area. Particularly on a disputed patrol route of the Israeli police past Arab property.
Ceasefire violations
On July 24, 1956 in the disputed armistice line of Jerusalem’s Mount Scopus demilitarized zone, Arabs re-occupied a house close to Jewish property on Mount Scopus. The house was fired on by Israeli police stationed at the
Hebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel's oldest university....
, leading to a protracted fire-fight with Jordanian Legion troops. The UN observers arranged for a ceasefire. However, while attempting to reach the house in question to negotiate with the Jordanians, the UN observers were severely wounded by an anti-personnel mine.
On May 26, 1958, UNTSO officer Lieutenant-Colonel Flint was killed by a sniper bullet while trying to evacuate Israeli police officers on a disputed patrol route who had been killed or wounded by Jordanian fire. Flint was within 40-50 meters of the body of one of the Israelis, carrying a white flag, when he was hit by a bullet and died on the spot.
See also
- Augusta Victoria
Augusta Victoria is a 161-bed hospital on Mount Scopus in East Jerusalem, financed by the Lutheran World Federation and the United Nations Refugee Works Administration.-History:...
Hospital
- Mount Scopus Memorial College
Mount Scopus Memorial College is a Jewish private school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.- History :Mount Scopus Memorial College opened on St Kilda Road in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1949, taking its name from Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, which remained under Israeli control after the 1948...
- Jewish day school in AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
External links