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In Golan, Druze Struggle over First Vote in Local Elections
(AFP-Daily Mail-UK) Druze residents of the Golan Heights will have the chance to cast their ballots on October 30 for their local councils for the first time. The vote is taking place after a group of Druze lawyers petitioned Israel's Supreme Court for the right to hold it so they can elect a mayor who will improve services for their community. But there has been a campaign to boycott the poll by the influential religious leadership and a string of candidates have pulled out. The war in Syria has changed the outlook of many of the 23,000 Druze in the region. Where once the local Druze dreamt of going to study or work in Syria, now more and more youths turn their hopes towards Israel out of pragmatism. "I'm for the elections, we're with Israel now, Syria is over!," says a 24-year-old man. But despite that he will not cast a ballot. "There are people who will check who will vote or not," he explains.