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That leaves quite a bit out: Before giving the more immediate context of these killings, it should be > noted that Qalb Lawza is one of the Druze villages in Idlib whose > inhabitants were compelled at the beginning of this year to renounce the > Druze faith > <http://www.aymennjawad.org/15969/jabhat-al-nusra-and-the-druze-of-idlib-province> > and > accept Sunni Islam at the hands of Jabhat al-Nusra, including destruction > of Druze shrines and other Jabhat al-Nusra regulations such as gender > segregation. These impositions have *not* been cancelled and remain in > force to this day, which became clear not only in an interview carried out > by Syria Direct in March 2015 > <http://syriadirect.org/news/idlib-druze-agree-to-forced-conversion-destroyed-shrines-under-nusra-rule/>, > but also most recently from the testimony of a resident of another of the > villages- Kaftin- who agreed to speak to this author in the aftermath of > the massacre on condition of anonymity. This is so despite supposed > mediation efforts > <http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Life/Travel-and-Tourism/2015/Mar-02/289264-jumblatt-nusra-reach-agreement-on-idlibs-druze.ashx> > by > Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, who has tried to convince the Syrian > Druze that their best interests will be guaranteed by throwing their weight > behind the rebellion, even as Jabhat al-Nusra is heavily intertwined with > that rebellion. Indeed, Jumblatt himself acknowledges the group’s important > role in the broader insurgency, and has thus tried to downplay its status > <http://www.aawsat.net/2015/02/article55341833/walid-jumblatt-al-nusra-front-are-not-terrorists>as > a jihadist threat and al-Qa’ida affiliate. Nor have other rebel groups in > Idlib province been able to mediate to cancel or mitigate this Islamization > program imposed on the Druze of Jabal al-Summaq. Not only has much media coverage of this latest incident in Qalb Lawza > overlooked these facts, but Jabhat al-Nusra leader Abu Muhammad al-Jowlani > has also tried to spin his group’s treatment of the Druze in his interview > with *al-Jazeera* that reflects a clear attempt to legitimise the group > as a mainstream opposition force: commenting on the interviewer’s praise of > Jabhat al-Nusra’s ostensible protection of the Druze villages, Jowlani > portrayed > his group’s approach > <https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2spm5o_translation-interview-with-abu-muhammad-al-joulani-on-al-jazeera-part-1_news?start=1007> > as > one of mere *da’wah*(proselytization) and acceptance. It is true that > Jabhat al-Nusra has generally not harmed the inhabitants of these villages, > but *only because *they have accepted the imposed Islamization program ... http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/the-massacre-of-druze-villagers-in-qalb-lawza-idlib-province -- "Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað." _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
