Last modified: 2023-12-09 by martin karner
Keywords: raghar | aghar | mo'atza mekomit raghar | majles raghar el-mahaly | golan heights |
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This is one of the villages in the Golan Heights, an area of Syria occupied by Israel since 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981. Under Israeli law and de facto, the Golan Heights are part of Israel. International law and the United Nations still recognize the Golan Heights as part of Syria.
Local Council Aghar is the only Alawite community in Israel.
The Alawites are Moslem sect which is the biggest minority in
Syria (but control the government as President Asad belong to
this sect).
The story about this unique village started with the the
agreement about the border line between Syria and Lebanon in
1949, putting this village in Syria (and by that changing the
Anglo-French agreement of 1923) even thou it almost completely
disconnected from it by the Hermon Ridge. When Israel took over
the Golan Heights in 1967, this village wasn't touched as Lebanon
didn't took part at the war (and the village was considered as
Lebanese according to 1923 maps) and this village was no threat.
Now completely disconnected from Syria and unwanted by Lebanon
(not willing to annex a Syrian village), it found itself as
"independent state" of 36 families.....
The inhabitants of the village decided, therefore, to annex
themselves to Israel and came with petition to the Israeli
Government which accepted that. They all become Israeli Citizens.
It became an Local Council in 1975.
To make things more complicated, during the time when Israeli
controlled South Lebanon, the inhabitants of the village,
situated on the east bank of Hatzbzni River, build housed also on
the west bank of it, which is a Lebanese soil..
As Israel withdraw from Lebanon it was found out that the river
is the international recognized border line and the houses on the
west bank should be under Lebanese control.....
Now the UN control the west side of the village and it is the
only place where Israeli citizens live in Lebanon....
Source: <lib.cet.ac.il>.
Dov Gutterman, 30 April 2005
