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Syrians in Israeli-Occupied Golan Remain Divided on Assad

While Syrian President Bashar al-Assad enjoys considerable support from Golan Syrians under Israeli occupation, many are speaking up against his rule.
Smoke rises after shells exploded in the Syrian village of Al Rafeed, close to the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria, as seen from the Israeli occupied Golan Heights May 7, 2013. Israel played down weekend air strikes close to Damascus reported to have killed dozens of Syrian soldiers, saying they were not aimed at influencing its neighbour's civil war but only at stopping Iranian missiles reaching Lebanese Hezbollah militants. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTXZDAV

MAJDAL SHAMS, Israel — Israeli military installments line the hillsides of the occupied Golan Heights, the site of several minor flare-ups between Israel and Syria in recent weeks, mostly unintentional stray shelling that has flown into the Israeli side.

The rising tensions highlight the growing rift among some 23,000 Syrian Druze, toiling under an Israeli occupation since 1967, who are finding themselves divided on the enduring violence in Syria. Though traditionally loyal to Damascus, there are a growing number of voices speaking out against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

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