HIGH on the slopes of Mount Hermon and the mountains of the Golan occupied Syria, the Arab villages (about 13,000 people) are engaged in against the annexation of their land, and the extension of Israeli civil law to their area.
since 1967. Their struggle involves a complete general strike, a boycott of Israel and a refusal to accept Israeli civilian identity cards — in effect become Israeli citizens.
Since 1967 the Israeli government has made several unsuccessful attempts to 'persuade' or force the people o se Golan to accept AND WHAT of attitudes inside Israel Zionist government it is one of confuwinning their struggle!
companying violence and repression, is seen by many Israelis as an unnecessary provocation.
the Israelis towards the Druze is very different to that towards the Palestinians. A Golan Solidarity Committee has been set up comprising anti-Zionist and left-Zionist Wing supplies for the Golan, the solidarity committee continues to organise support, including the sending of food and medical back of Sinai to Egypt, and the determination of the government to annex all the have an impending sense of catastrophe.
sion, and are less prepared now economic hardship for the military adventures of the Begin government.
state will be unable to mobilise people in the event of another war. But it does mean that the majority of Israelis will go into another war with a great deal more featand expansionism with the full mobilisa.
tion of the people, this is bad news and Thus the tide is beginning to turn. 'Peace Now' movement has been revived as a response to the failure of the Camp David agreement and the repression in the Now' movement gives open recognition to the Palestinian struggle - a big step forward on their simple 'peace' pressure of the Bir Zeit/Solidarity group Unprecedented in the history of Israel, this united front body including the anti-Zionist and the Zionist left organises around the slogans of 'down with the occupation, unconditional withdrawal from the occupied territories, dismantle all settlements and self-determination for both (ia. Palestinian and Jowish) peoples'.
'Peace Now' movement and forging links in struggle between Israelis and Palestiare Israalis prepared to be beaten, teargassed and imprisoned in the joint struggle Socialist Challenge 28 May 1982 Heights in Israeliheroic struggle The people are Syrians of the Druze Islamic Their land has been occupied by Israel citizenship as part of their LEC Golan. The formal nouncement of the annex. ation of the Heights last December came as no the Druze people seem to be Despite the arrests of people organisThey see no reason for military aggresThis doesn't mean, of course, that the and scepticism than was the In a militarised country, geared to war In large part this is the result of the There should be no illusions that this massive impact on Israeli For the first time in many years there shock.
The response was swift and dramatic. Al a mass meeting of around 5,000 OCODIC representing four villages a three-day general strike was declared and a letter sent to the UN sori clal y general. On February a letter was sent to Israeli Premier Begin demanding a withdrawal of the annexation - and general strike would be declared if there was no response On February the israchs movea in quickly and arrested Druze senders TO M Majdal Shams, including over the age of 70! They were sentenced to three month. aust ave detention, and on 13 May a further three months.
Line Druze people add ed the demand of the release of the prisoners a meeting attended by 3000 people.
'We are Syrian Arabs of the Druze religion this is our home, our land and we will continue for years necessary' everyone I talked to was resolute on this. The resistance is tremely organised and virtually unanimous only avour ten people nave ac. cepted identity cards and thev have beer ostracised by the rest of the community.
about how to A Druze village on Mount Hermon AND CLOSED DOWN discussed informally, thei village meetings, representative Deleings of all the villthese Delegates meetings are rotated to endemocratic and there is no one group of 'leaders' for the Israelis The of the strike have deepgoing. All shops and schools are The shoe une Line' working at settlements, and Shmona to work.
Threats of seriously ing tories Hall apples which are sold to the Very land expropriation has taken nearly tually no have given the solid LIVE ON THE STILLEM „ON MY LAND.
AND SHOT UP MY AND KILLED MY KHBORHOOD. FRIENbasis for carrying out long term resistance.
They nave gatherec supplies • of essential food least a year. Since the beginning of the strike, workers who do not own land are being given plots distributed farmers, and food is according need — with milk going only to children The Palestinians have begun to arrange collec tions of money to supply the beseiged people of the Golan. On 24 February the Israelis made preemptive strike to attempt to stop this, with military clockades veing set up a the entrances of the VIllages. Blockade Palestinian helpers including journalists. ALOUSI villages admit identitv woman the army had be to hospital in Arab East period blockade.
the Zionist soroner. into the CUISCADICI army and they them people, hospitality.
said the Druze people, they had choice but fight back. And this has been The Druze Casc resistance has been democratically organised, disciplined and, in the main, The occurred people army Majdal and the military The ignored and broke out. General tional Northern Command back year-old and At least people treatinjuries severe beatings. Haifa On April in the neighbouring village of Mas'ada (while 3000 were being positioned in Majdal Shams) the army took away the old identity cards and gave out civilian cards. Resident. flung them back and fights broke out. The army open ed fire and people fell to the ground Wheneve given the identity cards the people either and repression is continuing Thirteen people are being held in Jalami prison in Haifa, ad ministrative detention for three months without trial Many people have been given fines oeve shorter periods of deter tion including shepherds. two of whom were eight years old, whi were given 7-day detentior periods for allowing their animals to graze outside the permitted areas But in effect, everyone inside the area is now political prisoner Israeli regime.
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-Peace Movement grows in Israel
THE ISRAELIS HAVI WEST BANK...
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