Hundreds of Druze residents of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights surrounded a building in the main town of Majdel Shams on Sunday, trapping inside policemen for several hours, police said.
The 10 policemen were searching for “criminals” inside the building, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said, adding that reinforcements were called in who negotiated with the crowd and community elders to end the standoff.
Rosenfeld said he was unaware of any injuries, but Israeli media said several of the residents were hurt when police used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
“Tear gas was used only in the beginning to calm down the crowd,” said Rosenfeld.
Rosenfeld said the operation was not political.
Israel captured the strategic Golan Heights plateau from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and unilaterally annexed it in 1981. Damascus has repeatedly demanded its return as a non-negotiable condition for peace.
More than 18,000 Syrians, mostly Druze, are left from the Golan’s original population of 150,000. The vast majority of the Druze in the Golan have refused to take Israeli citizenship. AFP
I say well done, this will teach the Israeli not to mess with the arab Druze of Golan Heights or Palestine. I wish the other arab groups will do the same every opportunity they have.
by doing this Israel know that there is no way on earth these guys will accept Israel sovernty over them.
viva la Druze of Golan, your couragous and heroic acts are inspiration for everyone.
Rating: Well-loved
+13
I second that Bill. Go Druze of Golan, You’re a tough bunch, this will deter the israelis from messing with you in the future….
Rating: Well-loved
+6
well done Druze!!a
Rating: Well-loved
+6
yet again the druze prove they’re fearless. proud to be one.
Rating: Well-loved
+5
Me too, we are few but we are tough!
Rating:
+2
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Rating: Poor
-5
adam you’re very wrong. i can give evidence but i wont cos of druze low profile co-existence plus i am one and i know what arrogance does cos i’m talking to one.
israeli druze are in actuality very intelligent in their handling of their existence in the israeli dictatorship regime.
they don’t need to lose their identity as they have kept their roots, culture, history and family values as well as their same homes for centuries.
for you to assume or speak on behalf of me, my family and many druze is somewhat insulting cos you’re not an authority on our thinking.
stick to your israeli verbal outbursts and leave the intelligent thinking to more advanced humans.
sami for ya libnan, i promised you i will be much more civilised and i know that i just passsed my test with this low life.
Rating: Well-loved
+5
Adam even the jews arn’t that patriotic israelis latley and im sure NONE of the Druze are either! Aside from maybe a very few brainwashed Druze Individuals maybe??
Rating:
-2
Bro tell this Adam charecter to get his facts right…
tell him about the khams ehdoud and where in the world they originate from.
If Druze people are not arab, then no one is arab dont you agree.
Rating: Well-loved
+8
I’m proud to be Druze
Rating: Well-loved
+7
Adam you really have no idea do you, ask any Druze there arabism is never in question they are more arab then the word arab, due to there religion they do not have mixed marriages with any othere relion or race.
Hence i dare say they are the most Arab in there whole Arab Region.
They also are known to be great worriors of the middle east.
Rating: Well-loved
+8
Id like to thank the Druze as a descendant from the Golan
Brave ppl!
Rating: Well-loved
+7
Good work, Syrians. You are what it means to be Arabic.
Rating:
-2
look like they are the only brave people in syria the rest are chicken shit
Rating:
+2
I don’t know if they consider themselves more israeli or more arabs.The fact is they fight in israely army.
Rating:
-1