'}}

Names of the Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan destroyed by Israel

June 27, 2016

 

Al-Marsad has written to Google requesting that it amend Google Maps to show the names of the Syrian villages destroyed by the Israeli military in the Occupied Syrian Golan since Israel’s occupation in 1967.

Al-Marsad has been informed that Google Maps previously showed the names of the destroyed Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan - however, this is no longer the case and Google Maps now only shows the names of the illegal Israeli settlements built on their ruins.

By only showing the names of illegal Israeli settlements, Google has become complicit in Israel’s attempts to delete the existence of these villages from history. Instead, Google must take an objective approach, in line with international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and stop supporting Israel’s narrative of the landscape of the Occupied Syrian Golan.

Al-Marsad has not yet received a response from Google.

During the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel captured 70% of the Syrian Golan.  Consequently, an estimated 130,000 native Syrian inhabitants were forcibly transferred or displaced from their homes and forbidden from returning.  The Israeli military then began a widespread campaign to demolish their homes that resulted in the destruction of two cities, and over 300 villages and farms.

Israeli settlements – illegal under international law – were then built over destroyed Syrian villages and farms, in so doing, control was taken of the land and natural resources.

These actions by Israel violate multiple rules of international law and have been strongly condemned by the international community.

Today, there are at least 20,000 Israeli settlers in the Occupied Syrian Golan, living in over 32 illegal settlements – often built using the stones from destroyed Syrian villages.

 Dr Nizar Ayoub, Director of Al-Marsad, commenting, said: “Google must take immediate action so that its maps include the names of the destroyed Syrian villages. Google and other businesses have an obligation to ensure they are not complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation of the Syrian Golan.”

Releated Posts

'}}
Forty years of the annexation of the Golan and imposing citizenship
Forty years have passed since the Israeli government's decision to annex the occupied Syrian Golan (hereinafter, the Golan) on 14 December 1981, and to impose the laws of the occupier after 14 years of the Golan being subjected to military rule since its occupation in 1967.
READ MORE
'}}
Nature Reserves in The Occupied Golan-The environment in the service of land control policy-
Dr. Nazeh Brik 29.11.2021 Introduction:The June War of 1967 ended, with Israel taking control of an area of 1,260 square kilometers of the Syrian Golan Heights. About 60 square kilometers were returned to Syrian sovereignty in 1974 (Beger Gidon). Today, Israel controls 96% of the area it still occupies (1,200 square kilometers), which its ownership belonged […]
READ MORE
'}}
Al-Marsad Condemns the Assassination of Medhat Al-Saleh
20 October 2021 On Saturday morning, 16 October 2021, Medhat Al-Saleh, 54, was assassinated by the Israeli occupation army sniper. According to Syrian sources* and the media, the sniper shot 11 bullets at Medhat while he was working next to his house in Ain Al-Teeneh, opposite occupied Majdal Shams, hundreds of meters from the ceasefire […]
READ MORE
'}}
Establishing new water reservoirs in the occupied Golan
Toward the end of 2008, the occupation authorities had already built fourteen (14) water complexes in the occupied Golan.
READ MORE
'}}
Al-Marsad statement on the recent silencing calls, by the occupation security services, for activists from the Golan
During the past two weeks, some activists from the Golan Heights were summoned by the Israeli security forces. In two of the reported cases, the summonses were accompanied by “show-offs” designed to spread fear and intimidation among the local populatio
READ MORE