Druze men sit with Syrian flags during a rally marking Syria's Independence Day, in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, on the border with Syria, Monday, April 17, 2023. Photo: AP.
The people of the occupied Syrian Golan reject the enlistment of their community members into the “army” of the occupation, deeming it forbidden.
During a massive public meeting encompassing all segments of society from the four villages, the people of the occupied Syrian Golan issued a statement on Thursday marking the anniversary of the “Glorious Strike,” when they cautioned against the ‘Israelization’ of their community.
The statement underscored the importance of upholding the heritage of the national Golan and paying tribute to its ancestors. It firmly rejected ‘Israelization’ efforts, especially the recruitment of locals into the occupation army and associated groups. These actions were deemed as threats to our fundamental existence and Syrian identity. Consequently, stringent measures were implemented in the occupied Golan to address this pressing issue.
Attendees emphasized that individuals participating in the recruitment project, wielding arms, and donning enemy uniforms were being misled. They urged these individuals to reconsider their involvement and to publicly announce their return to their community within a week.
They also proclaimed a complete rejection and condemnation of anyone who dared to betray their family and heritage by engaging in projects that “destroy our society and its honorable legacy.”
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It declared the “religious excommunication and social boycott of all individuals involved in this sinful project, which entails volunteering for service in the occupation enemy’s army and its affiliated branches.”
The statement emphasized that the decision to boycott and banish extends to the individual involved and all members of their family unless they take proactive steps to publicly reject and disavow the individual’s behavior.
It also outlined measures such as the closure of people’s homes and businesses, as well as prohibiting participation in their funerals, offering prayers for their deceased, or burying them in family cemeteries.
The statement also voiced its refusal to allow any of these individuals “who have betrayed their community and families, to take any educational role in our schools, be it as teachers, guards, or workers.”
The statement by the residents of the occupied Syrian Golan concluded by emphasizing their determination to “eradicate all examples of this destructive phenomenon from our society” and “to not accept it, neither now nor in the future,” according to what they described as aligning “with the spirit and provisions of the national document that embodies the belonging and identity of the people of the Syrian Golan” and “to preserve our national heritage and ensure a secure future for our children.”
