A seldom-talked about occupation and resistence. From IMEMC, Aug. 25:

Secret Resistance Committee founders in the Occupied Golan enter their 22nd year in prison
by Saed Bannoura

August 24 2006 marks the twenty-second year since the arrest of the founders of the Secret resistance movement in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The Arabs48 news website reported that the Secret Resistance Movement is the first military movement in the Golan Heights and that it was established after Israel decided to consider the Syrian occupied Golan Heights as part of the State of Israel in December 14, 1981.

In February 14, 1982, residents of the Golan Heights carried a six-month general strike in protest to the decision.

The Golan Heights were occupied after the 1967 war, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem were also occupied by the Israeli forces in 1967 war.

The detained members of The Secret Resistance Movement refused to recognize the Israeli military courts and chanted the Syrian anthem during the court session.

In the early seventies, two members of the movement were shot and killed by the Israeli forces. They were identified as Izzat Abu Jeel, and Nazeeh Abu Zeid.

Most of the members of the Secret Resistance Movement were taken prisoners by Israel in 23/8/1985, among them Hayel Hussein Abu Zeid, who died of medical neglect; he was hospitalized only after his condition had severely deteriorated.

Abu Zeid was sentenced to 27 years; he spent twenty years in detention and one year at the hospital. He died on July, 07, 2005.

Detainee Bishir Suleiman Al Maqt, born in the occupied Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights on December 15, 1965, was arrested on August 12, 1985 and was sentenced to 27 consecutive years by the Lod Israeli Court and additional 10 years by the Nazareth court.

He received the highest term since he was running two resistance groups at the same time.

Detainee Sidqy Suleiman Al Maqt, born in Majdal Shams on August 23 1985, was sentenced to 27 consecutive years along with detainees Nimir Abdul-Waly and Asem Mahmoud Abdul-Waly, all from Majdal Shams.

Members of the Secret Resistance Movement were charged of carrying several military operations including;

1. Dismantling land mines near Arab villages and agricultural lands, and collecting these mines to use them later on against the Israeli forces.

2. Detonating explosives in an Israeli military camp in Biq'atha area; the camp was storing 1400 missiles and shells in three store-houses, it was evacuated after the military operation in fear of further attacks.

3. Attempting to deliver weapons to the Palestinians in the occupied territories.

4. Placing land mines on roads used by the Israeli military.

5. Burning the local council, controlled by Israel, several times.

6. Organizing protests.

7. Attempting to contact the leadership in Syria, and raising Syrian flags during national events.

See our last post on Israel.