The Golan Subdistrict is an area administered by Israel as a subdistrict of the Northern District. The subdistrict encompasses the Israeli-occupied territories of the

Golan Heights The Golan Heights, or simply the Golan, is a basaltic plateau at the southwest corner of Syria. It is bordered by the Yarmouk River in the south, the Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in the west, the Anti-Lebanon mountains with Mount Hermon in t ...

, occupied from

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

during the

Six-Day War The Six-Day War, also known as the June War, 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab world, Arab states, primarily United Arab Republic, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan from 5 to 10June ...

and annexed to Israel under the Golan Heights Law. Thus the region is internationally recognized to encompass Quneitra Governorate, which itself is composed of 2 districts and 5 subdistricts.

Towns and administration

The largest city in the subdistrict is the Druze town of

Majdal Shams Majdal Shams (; ) is a predominantly Druze town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, located in the southern foothills of Mount Hermon. It is known as the informal "capital" of the region. Majdal Shams played a significant role in the Great ...

, with a population of circa 11.5 thousand. The largest Israeli settlement in the subdistrict is the town of Katzrin, with a population of c. 8 thousand. Most localities in the subdistrict are organized as part of the Golan Regional Council, with the exception of six towns which are run as separate local councils. These are Katzrin, the four Druze towns -

Buq'ata Buq'ata (; ) is a Druze town, administered as a Local council (Israel), local council, in the northern section of the Israeli-occupied territories, Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. Buq'ata covers an area of 7,000 dunams (7 km² ...

Ein Qiniyye Ein Qiniyye or 'Ayn Qunya (; ) is a Druze village in the Israeli-occupied southern foothills of Mount Hermon, 750 meters above sea level. It was granted local council status in 1982. Its inhabitants are mostly Syrian citizens with permanent ...

, Majdal Shams and

Mas'ade Mas'ade (, ) is a Druze village in the northern Golan Heights, Syria. It covers an area of , and in had a population of . It was given the status of a local council in 1982. Its inhabitants are mostly Syrian citizens and have permanent residency ...

-, and the southern part of the

Alawite Alawites () are an Arabs, Arab ethnoreligious group who live primarily in the Levant region in West Asia and follow Alawism, a sect of Islam that splintered from early Shia as a ''ghulat'' branch during the ninth century. Alawites venerate A ...

town of Ghajar.

History

Internationally seen as Syrian territory, Israel occupied the area in 1967. On December 14, 1981, the Israeli

Knesset The Knesset ( , ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of Israel. The Knesset passes all laws, elects the President of Israel, president and Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister, approves the Cabinet of Israel, cabinet, and supe ...

passed the Golan Heights Law, applying Israeli laws to the territory and creating the Golan subdistrict as an administrative body.

Demography

The population consists mainly of

Israeli Jews Israeli Jews or Jewish Israelis ( ) comprise Israel's largest ethnic and religious community. The core of their demographic consists of those with a Jewish identity and their descendants, including ethnic Jews and religious Jews alike. Appr ...

, Druze (see Status of Druze in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Druze in Syria), and the

Alawites Alawites () are an Arab ethnoreligious group who live primarily in the Levant region in West Asia and follow Alawism, a sect of Islam that splintered from early Shia as a ''ghulat'' branch during the ninth century. Alawites venerate Ali ...

of Ghajar.

References

External links

Municipality of Neve Pritzky
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