The Golan Disinformation Campaign intensifies
February 6, 2007
Syrian Druze inhabitants of the Golan waving Syrian flags.
Only a few days ago, in the last post (followed by a discussion on the media and Syria), I wrote about the gradual slip of the Golan Heights in the media, from being a Syrian territory invaded and illegally annexed by Israel, to becoming one that was “contentious,” having been “seized” or “captured” during a vague war and kept in a subsequent "Arab invasion." There are no mentions anymore of UNSC Resolutions 242 or 338, or of the Madrid Peace Conference, nor are there categorical declarations of the Golan Heights’ legal status as Syrian land as it morphs into yet another "painful concession" for Israel that is willing to generously "give land" so it can "receive peace."
Israelis and pro-Israelis have already achieved quite a lot with this, creating a very misleading perception in public opinion that will be difficult to reverse. As if that wasn’t quite enough, and it apparently never is with Israel, there is now an outrageous attempt to speak in the name of the people under occupation, and to imply they are not a concern for their compatriots, in turn suggesting that this should be taken into account when deciding on the future of the Golan.
The article’s title sets the tone immediately, but doesn’t even pave the way for the dangerous absurdities that will follow: indeed, declaring “The Golan's Druze wonder what is best” isn’t meant to be an innocent statement about an ambiguous situation, but aims at implying that the Golan’s Syrian inhabitants actually prefer to remain under Israeli rule, within Israeli borders, rather than returning to their mother country!
Seth Wikas, who has a number of other gems about Syria, pretends impartiality by mentioning the Syrian people languishing in Israeli jails for having resisted various Israeli actions, but that’s where the pretense stops; for the duration of this ridiculous article, he deceitfully refers to them not as Syrians, but as Druze. He begins the process by explaining that “The fate of the Golan's Arabs, who are Druze, illustrates the human side of future land-for-peace deals. Arabs, as versus the 20,000 Jewish settlers … and as versus the 2,000 Alawites in Ghajar. So far, the reader is told there are Arabs (who are Druze) and there are Alawites (who aren’t Arabs?) but not a word about Syrians of either religion. It is difficult to know whether this mess of a statement is simply ignorance or deliberate deception; we can only assume it's the latter, as the rest of the article goes downhill from there, with Wikas attempting to convince us that Druze are torn between Israel and Syria.
Here are some choice passages which allude to the dream of life in Israel versus the nightmare of life in Syria.
To begin with, they are richer now than they would be back under Syrian rule, so let’s not make them go back. ”It also highlights the emptiness of Syrian rhetoric about its "occupied Golan brethren," inasmuch as Druze villagers have been given little economic incentive to return to a Syria where they can expect to be poorer.” So we’ve been wrong all these years to insist on, say, the Palestinians’ right of return because they’re much better off elsewhere?
Of course, Israel would love nothing more than having Syria pay the Golan's citizens to leave it, moving to other areas of Syria, just so that Israel can get rid of the inconvenient native inhabitants who weren't already expelled or who hadn't fled under Israel's aggression, leaving more room for settlers.
The writer admits they haven't wanted to become Israeli, but look at how well the Israelis have treated them. ”Irrespective of their legal status, all residents have access to Israeli schools (which teach Torah and Hebrew), pay taxes and enjoy municipal services such as water and electricity.” Aw, isn’t the Israeli occupation nice? Surely we shouldn't expect residents (note the choice of word: residents!) to want to leave it when Israelis allow their victims to “enjoy” water – their own water of course!
We're told in no uncertain terms that it’s the economy, stupid, and therefore a Syrian Golan is not really an option. ”While not as rich as the bon vivants of Tel Aviv, the inhabitants have a standard of living vastly surpassing that of their counterparts on the Syrian side of the border.” Syrians under occupation are doing so well they never want to be anywhere near Syria again, right?
And if you’re not convinced by now, let’s state the obvious facts about why the Golan shouldn’t go back to Syria: the nice people (who apparently aren't even really Syrian) would be miserable there, with all those awful Syrians. ”The locals work hard - whether in agriculture, construction, or services - and have little regard for Syrians who, in many Golanis' minds, "drink tea and sleep all day." In Syria, working hard rarely ever translates into making more money - unless you have government connections.” How can you expect these civilized, hard-working, Israeli-like people to associate with lazy, unfamiliar Syrians who drink tea and sleep all day? Well, my Syrian friends, isn’t that what we all do? Surely this "Syria expert" can’t be uninformed, or a racist, or a bigot!
And anyway, even if the Druze of the Golan really feel a bit Syrian, let’s remember that the Syrian people only use them as rhetoric, so they shouldn’t go back to Syria. ”While most identify themselves as Syrian and take Syria with both its grandeur and its faults, once in Damascus these students can see how the Golan has become a rhetorical tool that has not trickled down into Syrian public consciousness.” Now the writer is not only speaking for the "Druze of the Golan" but also for the actual Syrians of Syria, for whom he claims the Golan is not even in their consciousness, perish the thought. This Syria expert is pretending we haven't heard about the Golan, ad nauseam even, since we were born!
Remember, when all is said and done, these poor Druze are afraid of Syria, so let’s not make them go back, let them stay in good Israel where they can live well. Besides, they’re Druze, not Syrian. ”This and the fact that they can earn more in Israel are why many young Druze, as well as their parents, fear a return to Syria.”
There you go. FEAR A RETURN TO SYRIA. That’s the next wave of propaganda that will begin to spread now: the Druze of the Golan have nothing in common with the evil, lazy, poor Syrians, so the Golan should stay in Israel. Good thing The Daily Star now opens its opinion pages to increasingly "balanced" (not to mention informed) points of view; after waking up from our nap and drinking our tea, how else would we know about the reality of our land, and about what the Druze of the Golan really want?
