Letters
Government by force
Sir: Christopher Hitchens gives a poignant yet sensitive account of the realities of Israeli occupation for the Arab inhabitants of the West Bank (5 June). Voices express- ing the desirability of cleansing the whole of Eretz Israel of its Arab population are sadly no longer those of mere fringe Israeli opi- nion. Mr Hitchens refers briefly to the strike by the Golan Druze and as one who has just returned from several months in the Golan Heights, may I expand on the nature of the 'death of liberalism' as it af- fects the Arab community there?
In the process of conquering the Golan Heights in 1967 the Israeli defence force largely 'solved' the Arab 'problem'. Perhaps 93 per cent of the population (estimated at 100,000) were forced to flee. Their towns, villages and farms were obliterated so that there was no question of their ever returning. It is staggering to see how efficiently that destruction was carried out. There is simply nothing left to see of the former Arab civilisation.
For reasons of history and geography five villages survived this catastrophe, one Alawi Moslem and four inhabited by the Druze. Since many Israeli Druze have prov- ed loyal to Israel (serving in the armed forces) it was logical to suppose that the Golan Druze would perform as a similarly cooperative community. In fact while years of municipal neglect, discrimination and in- ferior social services were tolerated, the Golan Druze were gradually radicalised by fears for their land and water resources as the Pattern of Israeli settler and government expropriation, so familiar in the West Bank, began to emerge in the Golan. The Druze were finally pushed into open resistance by the Begin government's at- tempts to force them to forgo their 'oc- cunied Arab' status and take Israeli Citizens' identity cards. At first covertly Coercive measures, such as inflated tax demands and problems in marketing Druze farm produce, were employed. After the annexation of the Golan Heights in December 1981, however, the government took more openly repressive measures and arrested four Druze religious leaders. In response to the Golan Law and the ar- rests the residents elected to embark on an °Pen general strike (which is continuing sonic four months later). The government therefore sent in the army and erected bar- ricades at the approach to each village. Nobody was allowed in or out. Journalists, human rights groups and even the Red Cross were denied access (the Red Cross "Pally being allowed a restricted tour after
repeated requests to visit). Food, medicine, water and electricity distribution were placed at the discretion of the army.
When it began to appear after two mon- ths that such measures were not weakening the residents' resolve, large numbers of troops moved into the villages and the new identity cards were issued at each house by force. Struggles ensued and a curfew was put into effect. Four people, including a woman and child, were admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds and others were treated in the village. The old 'occupation status' identity cards were declared invalid by the authorities. The residents simply tore up their new cards. As a result the residents no longer have identity cards and since it is illegal for them to leave their homes without carrying such identity cards, they are effec- tively still under a military blockade. Clashes with troops and police and shootings have continued.
These are the events which led to Judge Cohen's denunciation of the Golan Law. Sadly it is quite clear that Cohen no longer represents establishment or mainstream thinking in Israel. Even after two years I was astonished by the degree to which Israeli opinion has moved towards the belligerent, intolerant and even racist right. Polls suggest a disregard for the army's ac- tions in the Golan at best and more pro- bably outright support for such a so-called `no nonsense' approach. Only a few small voices point to the dark tunnel towards which Israeli society has moved so significantly and from which so many Israeli parents escaped 40 years ago. It seems likely, however, that at present many would favour the solution posed by another prominent Israeli, to expel the intransigent Druze to Syria.
S. Brook
3 Woodlands Close, Ilkley, Yorkshire
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