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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Syrian Druze confront 'war criminal' Netanyahu's visit to Majdal Shams</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">July 29, 2024<br></div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>Residents
of the occupied Syrian Majdal Shams village demonstrated against
Netanyahu on Monday and blasted him as a "war criminal" and "child
killer". </p><img src="cid:ii_lz75qkzl1" alt="cfb556f9-cb40-414e-87b0-ee64f40479d8.jpg" width="394" height="263"><br><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
A local woman holds a poster as she and hundreds of others
demonstrate against the Israeli Prime Minister during his visit to the
occupied village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-occupied Syrian Golan
Heights on July 29, 2024. (<em>AFP</em>)
</li></div></ul>
<p>Syrian residents of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan
attempted to kick out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from
the village, calling him a "fascist" and a "criminal", the <em>Syrian Arab News Agency</em> (SANA) reported. </p>
<p>Netanyahu had arrived in Majdal Shams, where a vicious strike killed
12 children on the town's football field, alongside a convoy of
high-ranking security officials. </p>
<p>Yesterday, his Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was confronted by
the town's residents who accused the far-right official of making use of
their children's blood. </p>
<p></p>
<p>Netanyahu, Israeli officials, and politicians are accusing the
Islamic Resistance in Lebanon of firing a rocket at the town, a claim
that Hezbollah categorically rejects. </p>
<p>The Israeli Prime Minister spoke from the football field on Monday, pledging a "harsh response".</p>
<p>Netanyahu and other officials have seized the opportunity, provided
by the atrocious massacre, weaponizing it in order to justify a
presumably intense aggression on Lebanon.</p>
<p>"Hezbollah, with Iranian backing, launched an Iranian rocket here,
which took the lives of 12 pure souls," Netanyahu said as he built up a
justification for a controversial attack on Lebanon.</p>
<p>Netanyahu also said that his "heart is torn apart by the severe
tragedy," failing to realize his responsibility for the blood of at
least 16,000 Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. </p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/did-an-israeli-iron-dome-missile-cause-the-majdal-shams-mass">Did an Israeli Iron Dome missile cause the Majdal Shams massacre?</a></strong></p>
<h2>How did the residents of Majdal Shams confront Netanyahu?</h2>
<p><strong>Al Mayadeen</strong>'s correspondent in the occupied
territories reported that Netanyahu arrived in Majdal Shams at around
2:00 pm (local time) and was received by the town's council chief in a
local administrative building. Netanyahu entered through the back door
of the building to avoid being seen. </p>
<p>It is worth noting that the chief is appointed by the Israeli occupation's government. </p>
<p>After news had gotten around to the town's residents, hundreds
gathered outside the said building, protesting Netanyahu's visit to the
occupied Syrian town. </p>
<p>The demonstrators berated the Israeli Prime Minister, denouncing him as a "child killer" and a "criminal".</p><img src="cid:ii_lz75pw5f0" alt="375de642-ab4f-4ac3-b999-3bdd9bd05710.jpg" width="394" height="263"><br><ul id="gmail-content-slick-1"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
Local Syrian Druze protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who arrived in the occupied village of Majdal Shams, in the
Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan, on July 29, 2024. (<em>AP</em>)
</li></div></ul>
<p>Netanyuahu's visit to the town did not last for more than 15 minutes, locals told <strong>Al Mayadeen</strong>, after the incident had enraged residents who refused to receive the Israeli Prime Minister. </p>
<p><strong>Al Mayadeen</strong> also found that several locals refused
to allow Israeli occupation forces to use their homes and rooftops as
guarding points on Monday morning, ahead of Netanyahu's arrival. </p>
<p>The residents were told that an official would visit the town,
however, the official's identity was not revealed to locals until it was
reported in Israeli media outlets. </p>
<p>The Israeli newspaper <em>Haaretz </em>said the representatives of some of the families that fell victim to the attack on Majdal Shams refused to meet with Netanyahu.</p>
<p>Authorities attempted to arrange a meeting between the Prime Minister
and the victims' families, but it failed due to the families' refusal.</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hezbollah-told-un--israel--was-behind-golan-strike-as-us-war">Hezbollah told UN 'Israel' was behind Golan strike as US warmongers</a></strong></p>
<h2>Syrian government denounces Israeli-committed crime in Majdal Shams</h2>
<p>On its part, the internationally recognized sovereign over the Golan Heights, <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/syria-condemns-israeli-aggression-on-majdal-shams">the Syrian government</a>,
condemned the "heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation,"
which it pointed out usurps territories and the rights of peoples.</p>
<p>"It is an attempt to fabricate lies and excuses to expand the circle
of aggression against the peoples of the region and to escape the
predicament caused by the resistance faced by this occupation in the
Gaza Strip," the Syrian government added. </p>
<p>"We are confident that the crimes of the occupation will not
undermine the determination of our steadfast and resistant people in the
occupied Syrian Golan, nor will they weaken their national will and
adherence to their Syrian Arab identity and their resistance to the
occupation.”</p>
<p>Syria, through its government, offered its heartfelt condolences to
the people of Majdal Shams for the "martyrs who watered the soil of the
dear homeland with their pure blood."</p>
<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanon-s-jumblatt-urges-unity-as--israel--tries-to-sow-disc">Lebanon's Jumblatt urges unity as 'Israel' tries to sow discord</a></strong></p></div></div></div>
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