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Friday February 18, 2000

Druze protest over Israeli control of the Golan Heights turns violent

JERUSALEM (JPS) -- A protest by hundreds of Druze who live in the Golan Heights became violent Monday when protesters hurled sto
There were no reports of serious injuries.

The Golan Druze staged a six-week strike at the time as part of their refusal to accept Israel identity cards. Since then, they have marked that day each year.

Monday was no exception and hundreds of people congregated in the main square in Majdal Shams -- the biggest of the four Druze villages on the Golan.

From there they marched through the narrow streets of the village holding aloft Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags. They made their way to the eastern side of the village to the "shouting hill," where Druze on the Israeli side of the border yell messages to their brethren on the Syrian side.

Many of the demonstrators carried banners with Assad's face encircled in hearts.

"We are here against the occupation, and we are waiting for our country to bring its authority here to the Golan Heights," demonstrator Fouad Shaar said.

As in previous years, a stage was erected on the Syrian side of the border, where Syrian Druze and government officials broadcast nationalist songs and messages.

Unlike in previous years, police were not out in force in the village square, although they did monitor proceedings from the outskirts of Majdal Shams.

Even so, youths who had gathered at the shouting hill took exception to the presence of police in the area and started hurling rocks and stones. Two policemen were lightly injured.

Police fired tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse the rioters, and local residents said two people were hurt and another person was overcome by tear gas fumes.

The protesters chanted slogans saying that the Golan was and always would be part of Syria and that the time of liberation was near. They also chanted slogans supporting Hezbollah's operations in south Lebanon.

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