Written by Yovav Katz, composed by Effi Netzer, and performed by the Military Band of the IDF in 1968, « Kingdom of the Hermon » is written as a love song from a soldier to his girlfriend during the Six Day War. The lyrics, provided below in Hebrew, English and transliterated, describe the beautiful views from Mount Hermon, the highest point in Israel, part of which was captured during the Six Day War and the rest in the Yom Kippur War five years later. With its upbeat tone and romantic lyrics, this song reveals a sensitive side to IDF soldiers – simply young men who dream of their girlfriends back home when they are on the battlefield.
