OPINION:
In case you missed the news, on Saturday afternoon Israel time, Hezbollah fired from one of its bases in southern Lebanon at Israel’s Golan Heights region, a region heavily populated by Druze residents. As of this writing, 12 people including children and youth into their late teens were killed.
In doing so, the Iranian-backed Islamist terror group committed crimes over and above wanton murder. Hezbollah crossed red lines and international borders, firing once again into sovereign Israeli territory. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu correctly noted in Washington, D.C. this past week, this is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization.
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The main differences in the most recent attacks are the number of casualties and the fact that they were Arabs, not Jews.
Over nearly 10 months, in addition to Hamas firing thousands of missiles and drones from Gaza, slaughtering 1,200 people, raping and sexually mutilating many, and kidnapping more than 250 people to Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon has also fired thousands of rockets, missiles, and drones at Israel, killing and wounding scores. Both are demonic. But Saturday’s attack was the largest number of casualties at any one time, from any one incident.
All of Israel is enraged and a forceful response is expected.
Despite this, cutting short Mr. Netanyahu’s U.S. trip, you may not have heard about it because it was Arabs killing Arabs, not Jews killing Arabs. In the mainstream media, that narrative is complicated because Jews cannot be blamed.
The distance of the weapon being fired at Israeli territory was so short that the12 dead youth, and dozens of others injured, did not have the time to get to one of the portable bomb shelters placed along the site of the soccer field where they were enjoying a quiet Saturday afternoon during their summer vacation.
Druze are an Arabic-speaking minority. Their religion is somewhat secretive. While it is derived from Islam, they revere Jethro as their prophet. They do not consider themselves Muslims. As such, they are often discriminated against in the Arab and Islamic world. And as such, they have a tradition of being loyal to the countries where they reside.
Most Druze live in Israel, Syria, and Lebanon. The latter two, in expressing loyalty to their countries even amid decades of political instability, are often hostile to Israel, while also fighting extremist Muslims who threaten them. In Israel, they are loyal citizens. They serve in the IDF, achieving senior ranks militarily and throughout Israeli society, often in numbers that are disproportionately high to their small percentage of the population. Many Druze have also fallen in the line of duty. Israeli Druze consider themselves to be cousins of the Jewish people, partly due to their reverence for Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, who was also revered and respected by Moses.
Most Druze in the Golan are not Israeli citizens but, rather, permanent residents. Since the Six Day War in1967 when Israel took control of the Golan from Syria, since Israel applied full Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, and since the U.S. recognized Israel’s sovereignty, many Druze are fearful to take Israeli citizenship lest they be accused of recognizing Israeli control and being seen as traitors in Syria to which they were once loyal.
But make no mistake about it, the Golan Druze never want the Golan returned to Syria, for their own well being and that of the region. More and more Golan Druze are taking Israeli citizenship. Israel looks at them as part of our country and their well-being and defense is no less important than for all the rest of the nearly 10 million Israelis.
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While loyal to their respective countries and governments, Druze are also fiercely tribal. Like Jews, when Druze anywhere suffers, Druze everywhere cares. Of course, we have seen that clearly among the Israeli Druze since Saturday’s massacre, publicly advocating for the well-being of all Druze. But now, we are also seeing support from Syrian and Lebanese Druze who are publicly and unequivocally calling out Hezbollah, their supporters, and, by implication, their own countries which have allowed these Iranian-backed Islamic extremists to gain strength and threaten them.
Hezbollah is armed and funded by Iran’s Islamic regime. Like Iran, Hezbollah does not distinguish between children or adults, soldiers or civilians, Jews, Muslims, Christians or Druze. On Saturday, Hezbollah terrorists brutally attacked and murdered a dozen Druze children and wounded dozens more, children whose only crime was going out to play soccer. Hezbollah knew full well they were firing their weapons at the second most populated city in the Golan. The carnage was no accident. It’s laughable that they and their Islamist defenders have gone out of their way not only to deny responsibility, but blame Israel.
There will be a response, probably one that’s forceful against Hezbollah, and one that may escalate the situation with Hezbollah and even Iran. Israelis and Druze in Lebanon are nervous.
Lest they fall through the cracks with nobody around the world to care and advocate for them, the Genesis 123 Foundation has launched a campaign to show love and compassion, express condolences from all over the world, and help materially however we can with the biggest impact and greatest integrity.
People of conscience can send prayers and condolences that will be printed and delivered to the families. Just as the Druze in Israel are a loyal, essential part of the diverse Israeli mosaic, Israel’s friends around the world can show their love and support today for the grieving families now, and no matter what comes next by way of the war that may escalate tomorrow.
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Jonathan Feldstein was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. Throughout his life and career, he has become a respected bridge between Jews and Christians and serves as president of the Genesis 123 Foundation (www.Genesis123.co). He writes regularly about Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He is host of the popular Inspiration from Zion podcast and publisher of www.IsraeltheMiracle.com. He can be reached at firstpersonisrael@gmail.com.
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