Restrictions on the movement of the-Druze population on the Golan Heights, which were scheduled to be lifted this morning, were instead intensified. The blockade of four Druze villages also continued in effect, although the blockade was also supposed to have been lifted.
In addition, reporters were again borred from entering the area to see for themselves what was happening in the villages. According to reports filtering out, the army was callecting from the Druze villagers the military identity cards issued to them some time ago. Instead, soldiers and interior Ministry officials were said to be trying to make the residents accept civilian identity cards.
It was the issue of the civilian identity cards, under the Golan Law which the Knesset approved last February, which led to the Druze strike which is now in its sixth week. The army and Defense Ministry would not say why the blockade was not lifted today as scheduled.
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