Annexation of the Golan:

On 14/12/1981 Israel officially declared its expansionist policy. The Knesset authorized the law of Annexation of the Golan. Immediately, after issuing the law, people of the Golan refused it and announced a three day total strike. Every year in 14.12 people express their refusal and condemnation . Arab Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza as well as the Arabs of 1948, sympathized with the Golanis. They arranged many meetings and conferences in cities like Nazareth, Shafa Amr, Daliatal karmel and others, to protest the law of annexation. Many delegations from Palestine visited the Golan to express solidarity with its people. Syria, of course, refused the law and asked international organizations to bear their responsibilities. The UN security Council on 18.12 1981 issued resolution no 497 considering the Israeli law null and asked Israel to Cancel it. Israelis didn’t despair, they tried to impose the Israeli nationality and Israeli identity cards on the people of the Golan. Thousands of people in Majdal Shams, Masaada and Boquata announced an open and total strike until the laws
of annexation and identity were cancelled and the detainees released. On February 14th. 1982 a general strike
was announced in all of the villages of the Golan. Syrian flags were hoisted beside black banners in expression
of refusal of the laws although the punishment of hoisting a Syrian flag in the Golan is 5 years imprisonment.
On February 25th. the occupying forces besieged all the villages of the Golan, denied the Arabs of Palestine
access to these villages in attempt to prevent them from expressing solidarity. life was totally paralyzed.
Israel insisted on imposing the Israeli identity on the people of the Golan who adamantly refused it and raised
the Arab slogan "al maniyya wala al hawyya" which means " we accept death but not the Israeli identity"

• Prev
• Next