Wind turbine construction delayed after police refuse to oversee it

Published: AUGUST 28, 2023 15:50

A power-generating windmill turbine is pictured during sunset at a renewable energy park in Ecoust-Saint-Mein, France (photo credit: PASCAL ROSSIGNOL/REUTERS) — A power-generating windmill turbine is pictured during sunset at a renewable energy park in Ecoust-Saint-Mein, France

(photo credit: PASCAL ROSSIGNOL/REUTERS)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the Israel Police would oversee security for the wind turbine construction, but the police said no.

Construction on the wind turbine project in the North has not resumed, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on Sunday that it would. The lack of resumption is due to the fact that the Israel Police, whom Netanyahu said would oversee security for the work, did not agree to the work.

As such, it has been reported in Hebrew media that the construction work will not resume until after the Jewish High Holy Days.

Protests had rocked the region as the Druze communities who live in the area did not want the construction to go forward. The riots in June resulted in one officer being shot and another injured.

Druze leaders vow to fight construction

Druze leaders said on Sunday after the announcement by the prime minister that they would continue the fight and not allow the construction.

Following the turn of events, a protest leader named Navia Halavi told Ynet on Monday that "To our surprise, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement that they are renewing construction in a surprising and illogical manner, according to which NIS 9 million will be released to the Golan - which is money we deserve, as a right and not a benefit - and that only eight turbines will be built on the perimeter fence, as if it is not part of Majdal Shams. These are our lands.”

Druze protest while police guard during a protest against the construction of a new wind farm near the Druze village of Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights, June 21, 2023. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

Supreme Druze Council head Raad Sha’anan said on Monday that “the Druze community feels in a certain way that the state has violated the contract with [us].

“The Druze community has stood by the Jewish people since the Declaration of Independence,” but "The state did not invest in Druze towns in terms of infrastructure, construction, and housing, as it does in other areas, and did not regulate construction for years. Today there are about 40,000 houses in the Druze sector, almost a third of them without a building permit, without legal electrical infrastructure, and without water, and road infrastructure.”

He lamented that "there is an accumulation of problems here, and the story of the turbines comes as if this is further proof that they want to harm the Druze community.”