Mention the name 'Golan Heights' and, to those who have never visited, thanks to the frequency with which the name is mentioned in the media, one would imagine a battle scarred, war torn landscape, strewn with rusting military debris; a testament to recent conflicts.

The truth could not be more of a contrast, as I discovered, on this Parliamentary visit, courtesy of the Conservative Friends of Israel. The Golan Heights are surprisingly similar to Cumbria. Its remoteness combined with the beauty of its rolling hills scattered with trees, disguises the scars of battles that date back to biblical times - only the barbed wire gives hint of previous conflicts.

With spectacular views of both Jordan to the east, and Lebanon and Syria to the north it is easy to see why, even today, it is of such strategic importance. Whoever governs this plateau has tactical advantage over his neighbours and control over the valley leading to the Sea of Galilee.

The historic terrain of the Golan Heights is one of the busiest battle grounds in history playing host to the Israelites, Romans, Ottomans, Byzantines, Christian crusaders. Even Alexander the Great once laid claim to it.

Its links to biblical events are no less remarkable. It is here where Jesus fed the five thousand and just opposite the Golan Heights, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount. The Bible in fact refers to 'Golan' as a place of refuge. The strategic importance of the Golan Heights is unlikely to diminish any time soon.

The challenge is finding a suitable role for the land which is acceptable to all sides. After all that has happened here, perhaps a fitting tribute would be to turn the area into an international park of study, owned not by one state, but all states. Perhaps then military uniforms would be replaced by school uniforms, and fighting will be replaced by learning.