ESHTIAK AKABANI WAVES ACROSS MAGDAL SHAMS VALLEY OF TEARS TO RELATIVES INSIDE SYRIA, 1999-06-08 (photo)

FOR RELEASE WITH FEATURE BC-ISRAEL-GOLAN-DRUZE - At the 'Valley of Tears' separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria (left side) Eshtiak Akabani waves to family members across the valley inside Syria as she and family members arrive at the border in order to scream gossip and questions to family members inside Syrria. Holding a megaphone is Ronet, Eshtiak's daughter, and Rema (back,right) who crossed into the Golan Heights from Syria in 1995 in order to marry into the Druze family. The Golan Heights has been under Israeli occupation since 1967 and was annexed in 1981 in a move that the Druze violently resisted with a six-month strike. The Druze on the Golan Heights are fiercely pro-Syrian but maintain good relations with Israel, although there are many complaints of discrimination against the Jewish state. Picture taken 2JUN99. JWH