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Last update - 14:41 22/05/2008 On the Golan Heights, people say that all this talk about talks is 'just talk' By Eli Ashkenazi Tags: peace process, Golan Heights  Community leaders in the Golan slammed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday for the indirect peace talks with Syria, saying his willingness to hand over part of sovereign Israel to the Syrians and their Iranian allies endangered Israel's existence. Many people on the ground, however, remained indifferent, saying they've lived in the shadow of land-for-peace talks before. "The news doesn't do anything to me, I'm not feeling fear or pressure," said Liki Azaria, a tourism promoter at Kibbutz Merom Hagolan, the first Israeli settlement in the Golan after the Six-Day War. Advertisement "This has been an amazing tourism season and we're getting masses of hikers. It should only continue like this." The secretary of Kibbutz Geshur, Ofer Zilberberg, spoke of the community's expansion as well as its thriving vineyards and olive plantations. Established by the Hashomer Hatzair socialist-Zionist youth movement, Geshur has said in the past that it would not be an obstacle to peace. "I've been living here since 1980 and these headlines are for political needs and far from reality," Zilberberg said. The community leaders accused Olmert of attempting to use the talks to escape from the corruption investigations against him, and people on the street seemed to agree. "We can tell if these things are serious or not," Zilberberg said. "This government cannot lead such a move; it feels like it's only talk and tomorrow Olmert will no longer be prime minister. When we feel otherwise I don't know what we'll do." Dvora Bar, of the religious moshav Nov, was a little more militant. "Every few years a wave passes over us and each time our knees start to tremble again. It's an uncomfortable feeling," she said. "We have experience, we've seen that you can wake up one morning and be evacuated from your home. I was evacuated from Yamit. It was very difficult." She said that although yesterday's news seems like "a media spin with nothing behind it, we must treat it with caution. "There's a new generation of young people who know nothing except the Golan, and they will fight even when the older ones get tired. Let's hope we don't come to it, but in Israel it's hard to tell. It's disturbing, especially with such a feeble leadership. We must not be caught sleeping." According to a statement by the Golan community leaders: "Israel's citizens will not lend a hand to such a bizarre and irresponsible act, handing over such a vital strategic asset to the Arab axis of evil." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Jet error Israeli warplanes come close to shooting down Tony Blair's plane. Rehab (live) Report: Singer Amy Winehouse is to undergo drug rehab in Israel.   1.   pack you bags Golanies 14:56  |  g. lee 22/05/08   2.   naive and realistic 18:54  |  Ernst 22/05/08   3.   Not realism- would they be willing to fight and die for 21:50  |  J 22/05/08   4.   The israeli fear of Iran is real. Giving out Golan will calm thos 14:19  |  Aounist 23/05/08   5.   JUST THINK, I almost moved to SAFED! 16:36  |  Barry S. Roffman 23/05/08   6.   The return of the Golan 19:34  |  David 23/05/08   7.   Golan Heights 00:02  |  Moredecai Katz 24/05/08   8.   ONLY BY FORCE 03:54  |  VIPER 25/05/08   9.   Life and death in power of tongue 06:19  |  marilyn 25/05/08

Read & React Israel denies entry to high-profile critic Norman Finkelstein Responses: 172 Shmuel Rosner: McCain's Pastor Hagee was trying 'to prevent a second Holocaust' Responses: 7 'Olmert's indictment is just a matter of time' Responses: 19 Zvi Bar'el: Let Assad and Olmert play out their own spin Send response Israel Harel: Preparing to strike Hamas under cover of truce Send response More Headlines 09:21 Law enforcement source: Olmert's indictment is just a matter of time 09:24 ANALYSIS / Olmert's last police interview was tailor-made for him 09:59 Israel and Egypt to resume Gaza talks amid split over truce terms 08:13 Syria sends minister to Iran after shock revelation of Israel talks 08:35 ANALYSIS / Can Syria break its Iranian bear hug? 08:42 5 questions about Pastor Hagee and the Holocaust 01:06 Israel denies entry to high-profile critic Norman Finkelstein 08:31 Spanish doctors, Israeli reality 09:11 Lebanon set to vote in Suleiman as president after months of crisis 08:59 Israel places 9th in 2008 Eurovision Song Contest; Russia wins Previous Editions Select Day 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may

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