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Last update - 04:42 01/04/2008 Restless Druze employ boycotts, arson to combat cellular antennas By Eli Ashkenazi, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: cellular antennas, Druze  Residents of the Druze community of Majdal Shams are considering calling for a religious boycott of those whose roofs are used by cellular telephone companies to set up antennas. "This is how we deal with opposition to cellular antennas in our community," said Dr. Samih Sfadi, a resident of the village, located on the Golan Heights. On Sunday, three cellular antennas were burned down by residents of the neighboring village of Masadeh. Opposition to the cellular antennas is widespread among Druze communities on the Golan. Two months ago, an antenna was set ablaze in the village of Buqata. Advertisement According to Eran Shaked, spokesman for the Galilee District Police, "following the torching of the antennas in Masadeh, the Golan [police] station began collecting evidence. Later, we will make arrests of suspects in the arson cases. We will arrest all those who led the arson attacks." The spokesman added that "complaints have been filed by the cellular telephone companies, and we are now working on a number of levels. The background to the whole thing is opposition to the erection of antennas. There are no other motives." According to a Masadeh resident, "there were talks with the cellular telephone companies, and requests were made [by residents] to lower the antennas' transmitting power. "At a meeting held Sunday at the hilweh [prayer hall], religious leaders and elders called for calm, but the young were fed up, and many of them went out and burned down the antennas," he added. Nabi Awida, of Majdal Shams, said: "We have also been trying to get rid of the antennas for the past year and a half, and there was a time when [residents] disconnected them from the electrical supply. Now they are trying to find property outside the village where they could place the antennas, and the residents have asked that [the antennas] be of lower transmission power. "People simply asked the home owners where the antennas were set up to disconnect them, and they were wise and gave in, so there were no confrontations," Awida added. Awida said the powerful opposition to the antennas in Druze communities stems from the fact that "there has been a steep increase in the number of cases of cancer in Majdal Shams, Masadeh and Buqata, especially among those living close to the antennas. Maybe this is coincidence, but the people are afraid, and they are panicking. "It is a good thing that the police did not go into Masadeh. The people had no intention of confronting [the police], they just vented their frustration that the antennas are not being removed," Awida added. The burning of cellular antennas by Druze communities began a long time ago. In Isfiya, on Mount Carmel, a riot took place in March 2000 as a result of residents' opposition to the setting up of cellular antennas nearby. The residents expressed concern that the antennas posed a major health hazard. The villagers tried to forcibly block infrastructure work on the antennas and destroyed the cellular telephone companies' property. The police used violence to disperse the rioters and several of them were injured, as were some police officers. Then environment minister Dalia Itzik eventually ordered the antennas removed, except for one for which a license was issued. A similar incident occurred several months ago in Pek'in, after a cellular antenna was set up in that area. Hussein Halabi, who edits the Carmel Portal, said that "opposition to the erection of antennas and transmitters for cellular telephony is great. Recently, Bezeq transmitters were burned in Daliat al-Carmel. It is a major problem, because on one hand, we want the telephones, but on the other, there is grave concern about illness. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fake reactor Syrian envoy: Photos of alleged nuke site fabricated by CIA. Modern Moses Commander of legendary Jewish immigrant ship Exodus dies at 90.   1.   I suspect 05:45  |  Mark Lincoln 01/04/08   2.   We talk to the walls 06:39  |  Ethan 01/04/08   3.   Ignoramuses 07:52  |  Scientist 01/04/08   4.   They are within their rights 10:32  |  Dror 01/04/08   5.   Your empty promises 10:37  |  Dror 01/04/08   6.   Ethan is right 10:53  |  Dror 01/04/08   7.   "There are no other motives" 11:40  |  Slibovitz 01/04/08   8.   Slibovitz 12:37  |  Dror 01/04/08   9.   Mark Lincoln # 1- misplaced suspicions 13:20  |  Gil J. Yashar 01/04/08   10.   A DAY WILL COME... 13:31  |  ArabDruzeMuslim 01/04/08   11.   Why others don`t object. 13:39  |  Dror 01/04/08   12.   arabdruzemuslim 15:43  |  Dror 01/04/08   13.   Arab Druze and Muslim? Misnomer-Indeed the day will come 18:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 01/04/08   14.   cell phone antennas 15:18  |  Claudio 21/04/08   15.   QUESTION 03:09  |  JOJO (USA) 27/04/08

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