Mitzpe Harel is a scenic lookout in Eshtaol Forest, near Route 44 in the eastern Shephelah, that overlooks the Ayalon Valley and the hills around Latrun and the approaches to the Judean Mountains. The lookout is well-known because it contains a model of the path of the Burma Road. This was an improvised route constructed during Israel’s War of Independence to bypass the Jordanian Legion positions at Latrun and restore a land link to besieged Jerusalem. Its western starting point was close to the Hulda area and it joined the Jerusalem road just after Shoresh.
The site contains a tall observation tower, although it is currently closed to visitors because of safety reasons. There are picnic tables, but no restrooms.
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Directions: Enter “מצפה הראל“ into Waze.
Public transport: The closest bus stop is at מסעף כפר אוריה למערב, from where it is 1.7 km/ 21-minute walk.
3-D model of the Burma Road
OVERVIEW
THE BURMA ROAD AND THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM
There were two stages to the 1948 War of Independence. The first stage between the end of November 1947 to May 1948 was a civil war between the Arabs and Jews. It was very much centered on controlling the roads to inland settlements and cities, and West Jerusalem was under siege. By May 1948 the situation had become critical for the city. Supplies of food, water and arms were at rock bottom and there was a very real possibility that it would have to surrender to the Jordanian Arab League.
By January 1948, local Arab forces had taken control of the hills between Sha’ar HaGai and the Castel, and convoys carrying supplies along the only road to Jerusalem were suffering heavy losses attempting to reach the city. However, in April 1948, Jewish forces went on the offensive and the Palmach was able to capture these positions during Operation Nachshon.
After the Declaration of Independence in May 14, the war entered a second “international phase” when Israel was invaded by five armies — by Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.
At the same time, and at the end of their Mandate, the British vacated the police fort in Latrun that dominated this part of the road on May 15, 1948. The Harel Brigade immediately took control of these hills. However, their importance was not appreciated by Israel and this small force was dislodged by the Arab Legion who understood that Jewish Jerusalem could be starved into submission by blocking the main road from Latrun to the Sha'ar Hagai/Bab el Wad ravine.
Israel made three attempts at recapturing the police fort at Latrun — Operation Bin-Nun aleph, Operation Bin-Nun bet and Yoram. So desperate was the situation that ill-prepared immigrants from displaced persons camps fresh off the boat were sent into battle. These battles were costly in terms of Jewish lives. Nevertheless, Israeli forces were unable to dislodge the Arab Legion. It was now appreciated that Latrun could not be taken quickly enough to solve the Jerusalem supply problem.
Israeli forces had secured a narrow corridor south of Latrun and had captured Beit Susin. At the end of May, a Palmach reconnaissance identified a shepherd's footpath, known as the “Gazelle Path,” south of Latrun. It was also shown that jeeps could maneuver along it. A makeshift bypass route was now speedily-constructed from the Hulda area that bypassed Latrun. After crossing what is now Route 38, it ascended to the Jerusalem Mountains, joined a road by Bayt Mahsir (now called Beit Meir), passed Saris (now called Shoresh), and connected with the main Jerusalem road. This road was called the Burma Road after the famous war-time road built by the British to supply Burma from Southwest China during the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Initially, vehicles had to be pushed part of the way and supplies had to be carried by mule, and even by hand on the steep sections of the road. Nevertheless, by June 10 it was fully operational. Even the steepest section, the Serpentine Path was open for vehicles, although they had to be dragged up by tractors. The Arab Legion in Latrun was aware of what was happening and shelled the road, but they had no direct view of the construction.
By the end of June nightly convoys were delivering supplies to Jerusalem. The Arabs had previously cut off the water supply to Jerusalem, and water and fuel pipes were also laid alongside the road. For several months, this route was the sole means by which supplies were delivered to Jerusalem.
The commander of this operation was "Mickey" Marcus (1901-1948), who had previously been a US Army colonel and had taken part in many high-level assignments for the US. After V-E Day he was put in charge of providing for the millions of displaced persons in Germany. He was shocked by what he saw and began thinking seriously about Zionism. In 1947, his help was requested by David Ben Gurion, and Mickey volunteered for the then fledgling Israeli army. He designed a command-and-control structure based on that of the US army. He was the first general of the Israel Defense Force and in May 1948 took command of the Jerusalem front, including construction of the Burma Road.
Unfortunately, he was killed in the middle of the night, when he was mistaken for an enemy infiltrator. He did not fully understand Hebrew and was unable to provide the password that would have identified him. Those who shot him did not understand his English. He was buried in West Point cemetery in the USA.