Mount Hermon, Where Every Word Is Heard
“How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that fall on the mountains of Zion. And there the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.” (Psalm 133:1, 3)
Mt. Hermon is actually a cluster of mountains located in the Golan Heights of far northern Israel and which stretches into both Syria and Lebanon. Covering an area of nearly 390 square miles, 27 of which are in Israel, Mt. Hermon is the highest peak in Israel at 7,336 feet. Snowmelt from the south and west sides of the mountain flow to springs and streams, all of which come together to form the Jordan River.
Mt. Hermon has been called “the eyes of the nation” of Israel because so much can be seen from its lofty heights. It has been used as a military lookout post since the 1980’s to ensure Israel’s safety from enemy attack. Now it can also be called “the ears of the nation.”
Somewhere, in a secret place in the high regions of the mountain, is a military installation that houses the IDF’s Intelligence Unit 8200. To ensure the safety of the young men and women who serve at this post, and to maintain the secrecy of its actual location, the facility is not located on top of the mountain, but rather it is inside the mountain. From their positions high within the mountain, these officers monitor communications from within Syria, 24/7/365. As one report said, “They listen to everything that moves, or does not move, in Syria.”
The installation was built in the 1980’s after Israel was surprised by an attack on Yom Kippur in 1973. As turmoil seems rampant throughout the Middle East, especially in Syria and with incidents cropping up almost constantly along the Syrian-Jordanian border, the need for accurate surveillance becomes increasingly more critical. One of the officers at the base described their job as “to understand the dangers and the various scenarios, to accurately analyze the challenges . . . and to doubt everything. To be sober.”
It takes a special kind of soldier to be assigned to Unit 8200. One must be multi-lingual, especially fluent in English and Arabic, and computer savvy. The installation may be inside a mountain, but it is far from Stone Age. It is a post replete with the very latest in audio-intercept technology. Members of the unit must be skilled in the use of the hardware and software as well as able to understand and interpret not only the language, but the intent and gravity of the conversations as they pertain to the security of Israel.
Life flows from Mt. Hermon in its dew, its streams, and its springs. Protection emanates from the mount from the dedicated members of the 8200 Intelligence Unit of the IDF. One cannot help but think of the streams of living water that flow and the protection that emanates from the Throne of the Living God and are available to all who would trust Him. He feeds His sheep and He protects them from harm. Israel may be small, but her Shepherd desires to protect her. Her Shepherd is the Lion of Judah, the Lord, Strong and Mighty in battle. Pray with us, that He will grant her peace and safety with His fold. Pray also, thanking Him for granting Israel qualitative superiority for her defenses. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
To learn more about the IDF Military Intelligence Unit 8200, see the article in Israel Hayom.
