Hebrew name: Mitzpor Sha’ar Hagai

Location: South of Sha’ar Hagai, Judean Plain

Description: A dirt road, suitable for private cars and marked in black, leads up to the observation deck, offering a spectacular view of Sha’ar Hagai. The observation deck also serves as a memorial site for the Palmach’s 5th Battalion (Sha’ar Hagai Battalion), whose main task, at the beginning of the War of Independence, was to secure the road to Jerusalem. The scenic lookout is near the Burma Road, where KKL-JNF has built many recreation areas and metal silhouettes that describe the vehicles and fighters in the War of Independence.
The scenic lookout is located on a man-made hill, which was created here before the Six Day War, when the road that bypassed Sha’ar Hagai was paved. The purpose of the road was to prevent the drivers from entering the Dir Ayub village, which was situated on the other side and was under Jordanian rule at the time. The bypass road is currently integrated at the Sha’ar Hagai interchange.


Directions: From the traffic circle to the south of Mevaseret Zion, at the intersection of Routes 3965 and 395.