Hundreds of Israeli Druze gathered Friday evening in the Golan Heights to protest government policy on the construction of massive wind turbines. The protest follows National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir ordering the resumption of infrastructure works for the construction turbines in agricultural plantations near localities in the Golan Heights region. 

"We have redeemed the Golan Heights with blood and fire," chanted the participants in protest.

Yasser Ghadban, head of the Kisra-Sumei council, lambasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his speech. "He is sending Ben Gvir to declare war on the Druze community, we are ready for war," he said. 

"The government's decisions are racist and Minister Ben Gvir's policy is a failure," protesters added. "We don't take instructions from anyone, not even from Ben Gvir. Any attempt to undermine the Druze connection with the place will receive an immediate response from the community," said the spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Mwapak. 

"If we do not get an answer to our demands, the Druze community will have a position that they have never had before. All this under the aegis of the law which allows us to demonstrate, of course far from the violence that our religion condemns, but any attack against one of ours in the Golan is an attack on the honor of the Druze community,” he said.

On Tuesday, police forces arrived to secure the construction of wind turbines in the northern Golan. Their arrival sparked a riot and clashes that lasted for hours between police and Druze residents, who argued that the wind turbines were being built on farmland. 

The violence led to an attempted reconciliation on Wednesday as Netanyahu met with Sheikh Mowafak Tarif.