After a stormy day in the Golan Heights in which thousands of Druze demonstrated against the construction of a wind turbine complex for the production of renewable energy in the northern Golan Heights, claiming that it would harm their land in the area, Energix, which is building the turbine project, said Wednesday evening that it intends to continue work as planned.
This is consistent with the Prime Minister's Office's announcement that, contrary to reports, no agreement has been reached on postponing the facts until next week. During the day, sources in the Druze community claimed that in a meeting between Netanyahu and the head of the Druze community, Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, it was agreed to postpone the work until after Eid al-Adha next week in order to curb the riots in Ramah, but as stated, these reports have been denied at this stage and the police intend to accompany the construction tomorrow as well.
Druze riot in the Golan Heights to protest the construction of turbines // Photo: Police Spokesperson's Office
Ibrahim Nidal told Israel Hayom that those who inflame the situation and lead to riots are "Druze with Syrian loyalty, and this is not the majority of the community that upholds the law and is not interested in harming the police force."
Energix said today that it has signed contracts with landowners who have also already begun receiving funds for those lands. The company added that the project was approved by the government after examining all aspects and approvals in all courts. "Unfortunately, extraneous considerations and nationalist ideologies motivate opposition to the project, which does not shy away from breaking the law and violent actions, in order to prevent the establishment of a national project on what opponents see as occupied Syrian lands," the statement said.
Netanyahu with Sheikh Tarif, Photo: Haim Tzach/GPO
Druze protest in the Golan Heights, photo: Israel Police Spokesperson's Office
"The contrary opposition to the law is trying to harm all the residents of the area and the project that already creates the livelihood of hundreds of families in the area by creating jobs, paying local taxes amounting to over NIS 15 million that will be returned to the development of the area, millions of shekels a year paid to the owners of the land and neighboring lands in the project, developing access roads to the agricultural areas, clearing mines that created additional agricultural areas for the residents, and above all, Improving the region's dilapidated electricity infrastructure and switching to clean, green electricity at the output of 50,<> households."
Government sources said this evening that the government must not stop the work because it is a surrender to violent elements. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also clarified this this evening. "I love Druze society and believe that just as we have a blood alliance, we also have a brotherly alliance. I instructed the police to carry out Operation Golan Winds, after it was postponed time and time again because of threats by a handful of people to throw Molotov cocktails and stones.
"The State of Israel must not surrender, this is a private company that bought land according to religion and law, and is going to make turbines there, green electricity that will do a lot of good for the Israeli economy. It cannot be that the State of Israel cannot carry out the operation and allow a private company its property rights; there must be governance in the south, in the north and in the Golan Heights."
Netanyahu: "We will not accept riots, neither in the Golan nor in Samaria" // Photo: GPO
Earlier today, Netanyahu also said that the law must be strictly observed: "There are days when we have to state the obvious – the State of Israel is a state of law. All citizens of Israel are obligated to respect the law. We will not accept riots neither in the Golan Heights nor in Judea and Samaria. I fully support the Israel Police and the security forces in their action to impose law and order. We will not accept any challenge against the police and security forces in these places or anywhere. We are a country of law."
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us