Druze protesters clash with police searching restaurant in Golan village
A large number of police surrounded the village during the search, residents said, leading thousands of protesters to resist their attempts.
By Jack Khoury Tags: Israel newsSeveral Druze residents from the Golan village of Majdal Shams were wounded Sunday evening in clashes with Israel Police, according to eyewitnesses.
The confrontation occurred after police officers entered a restaurant in the village in an attempt to carry out a search. A large number of police surrounded the village during the search, residents said.
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Druze in the village of Majdal Shams |
| Photo by: Archive |
Police said their efforts were met with resistance from the village residents. Backup forces arrived on the scene and attempted to disperse the resisters.
According to the head of the northern district unit police force, "20 officers attempted to carry out a search and were attacked by hundreds of village residents."
After negotiating with community leaders, police managed to move the crowd back from the building so that ambulances could get through.
The police officers who were trapped in the restaurant by the mob have since been rescued.
"There was serious violence during the confrontation," the police officer said. "There was stone throwing and violent attempts by the residents to enter the restaurant." He added that there have been no injuries reported so far.
A number of police cars were damaged during the incident.
A village resident who witnessed the incident told Haaretz that thousands of people surrounded the restaurant in an attempt to stop the police.
Eyewitnesses said that several people, including children, were wounded as police tried to disperse the protesters.
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Other media reported that it was not the police but legal executives who came to confiscate some private belongings. What was the whole thing about? What was the cause of confiscation which ignited so violent protest?
Yes Golan is also occupied territory
After all, if "settlers" had done the same thing ....
"Backup forces arrived on the scene and attempted to disperse the resisters.", i'm actually surprised they weren't called terrorists as israel normally refers to resisters, then what the hell kind of reception did israel police think they were going to get?.
Finish alienating the Turks first -- then start on the Druze.
What do you guys think would be the actions of a U.S. police force if a group of 20 policemen where violently attacked by a crowd while trying to conduct a search somewhere in the U.S.A.? Do you think they would "negotiate with [local] community leaders" before using their guns and/or taisers? Just to put the Israeli (and U.S.) police actions into perspective...
This did not happen in Israel. It happened in occupied Golan Heights, where Israel pays subsidies for "settlers" to illegally build on seized land. Now for a more fair comparison. What would happen if the US seized Ontario from Canada, occupied it for 43 years, paid U.S. citizens with guns to colonize it, then the US sent in US police to search a store?