Tensions have reignited over a major wind energy project in the northern Golan Heights, two and a half years after construction was halted following violent clashes with Druze residents who oppose it.

With fighting in the north subsiding and security conditions stabilizing, the Israeli energy company Energix recently resumed work on part of its wind turbine complex east of Lake Ram, near the Syrian border. But renewed attempts to access the site in recent weeks met with violent protests by dozens of residents from nearby Druze villages, forcing workers to retreat.

Unlike in June 2023, when hundreds of police officers secured the area, the Israel Police have refused to provide protection, saying they are waiting for clear directives from the government. The government has not yet intervened.

In a sharply worded letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Energix accused the government and police of “a shocking display of helplessness” and failure to protect its workers. “We’ve had enough,” the company wrote. “The police are doing nothing except pressuring workers to evacuate. This situation is intolerable in the State of Israel.”

According to a letter obtained by Ynet, Energix reported that its workers were attacked on July 2 and October 28 this year after it tried to resume construction at a site farther from Druze villages. The company said dozens of Druze youths in traditional clothing surrounded construction vehicles, threatened workers, and issued death threats, forcing contractors to flee for their lives. Police who arrived on the scene allegedly “did nothing except urge workers to leave,” the company said.

The Energix project, known officially as National Infrastructure Plan 47 — Project Aran — was approved in 2010 as a national infrastructure venture. It calls for the installation of 21 wind turbines, each about 220 meters tall, to supply renewable power to roughly 50,000 households for two decades. The billion-shekel project has faced years of opposition from Golan residents and environmental groups who warn of harm to migratory birds, wildlife, and human health.

After years of legal challenges, Israel’s courts dismissed petitions against the project, including claims of private land ownership, and the government granted Energix final approval to begin construction. The company is now focusing on three turbines near the Syrian border, far from civilian communities, and has told investors that the likelihood of completing all 21 turbines is low. It plans instead to erect 11 turbines in more remote areas.

Police have refused to authorize construction since 2020, citing fears of violent backlash and operational constraints. In July 2023, Ben-Gvir ordered police to secure the site, but widespread protests spread to Druze villages in the Galilee, where demonstrators burned tires and blocked roads. After two days of unrest, Netanyahu ordered construction suspended indefinitely.

Druze leaders said at the time that Netanyahu promised to cancel the project. Energix maintains the prime minister merely asked to pause work “briefly, until after the holidays,” but said his office has since ignored company requests for guidance. The company now fears the government is quietly abandoning the project. “It is inconceivable that the State of Israel would tolerate violent and illegal behavior by a small group of Druze lawbreakers who terrorize the Golan Heights and block the construction of a national infrastructure project,” Energix wrote in another letter to Netanyahu.

Police officials, wary of what they called a “hot potato,” said the issue “requires involvement from various government ministries to address the relevant obstacles.” They instructed Energix to coordinate any work with the Prime Minister’s Office and the National Security Ministry.

Energix appealed again to Ben-Gvir over the weekend, demanding police protection. Sources close to Ben-Gvir said he had not yet received the company’s letter but noted that Netanyahu’s 2023 decision to halt work was made without his approval. Ben-Gvir has called for an urgent meeting next week with senior police and company officials to ensure construction continues, though it remains unclear whether he can act without Netanyahu’s consent.

“We are still in legal proceedings and expect the company to wait for the court’s decision before resuming construction,” said Sheikh Ramez Rabah, a community leader from the Druze village of Bukata. “These turbines harm nature, health, and our landscape. Even U.S. President Trump said they are ugly and bad for the environment.”

Energix said no legal proceedings are pending on the lands in question and that it plans to return to work “as early as next week.” “This is a first-rate national project for the benefit of all Israeli citizens,” a senior company executive said. “It cannot be that a small group of rioters will silence Israeli sovereignty in the northern Golan.”