The Hebrew word hatzofim and the Greek scopus both describe the fact that this mountain “looks over” Jerusalem from its heights. It was here that the Roman legions of Titus camped before capturing Jerusalem, as did the Crusaders in 1099 and the British forces in 1917. Although the Arab Legion captured this mountain in the War of Liberation, it did not succeed in using it as a springboard for conquering Jerusalem as did these predecessors.

With the liberation of East Jerusalem in 1967, the Jewish institutions on the mountain, Hadassah Hospital and Hebrew University, returned to Jewish hands and were restored to public service.

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