Druze

Summer and the Jerusalem streets are hot during the day.

On weekdays, the Municipality tempts tourists with price cuts and deals. Residents try their best to get away from the city. Now, with the skies opening, Cyprus and Azerbaijan are two popular destinations this summer. However, because of recent news, the Druze and their relationship to Israel have become important to share.

It was quite a beautiful sight. Druze women from the north came by the hundreds in October 2010. Wearing their white head coverings to participate in the Komen Race for the Cure. Walking from Gan Sacher, Sacher Park, toward the Old City walls under white umbrellas to rest in the shade. That was the day I started a Facebook page because I had so many photos.

Israel President, Head of Labor Court, Supreme Court and Minister of Justice pose with Druze female judge

This photo is from last year on July 20th, the Israeli President, the Head of the Labor Court, the Supreme Court, and the Minister of Justice posed with Israel’s first Druze female judge.

Israel President, Head of Labor Court, Supreme Court and Minister of Justice pose with Druze female judge speaks

She spoke as family and friends with phone cameras recorded the historic message.

Today, President Isaac Herzog announced the second group of 15 recipients of the new annual “Presidential Medal for Civil Valor.” Included was Milhem Asaad, a Druze citizen from Maccasra-Samie, a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan who flew to a game in Amsterdam. When the pogrom began on the streets of Amsterdam at a Maccabi Tel Aviv game, he took advantage of the fact that he spoke Arabic to mislead the rioters, thus saving many fans and warning other fans of the danger.

Yom Haatzmaut Druze leaders at Har Herzl

On Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day, these Druze leaders were honored guests at the televised Har Herzl ceremony with front row seats.

Jerusalem Marathon Druze families with OneFamily group

At the Jerusalem Marathon, Druze women participated with the OneFamily Together Organization.

Israelis and Druze come together in good times and mourning. The Israeli and Druze flags were flying together on July 19, 2017.

Men mourning Kamil Shnaan in Horfeish who was murdered by terrorist near Temple Mount

At the time, we traveled far north to pay a condolence call to the two Druze families whose sons were the policemen killed in Jerusalem near Lions Gate on July 14.

Druze female mourners dressed in black with white scarves

The women sat together outside, across the street.

A bereaved mother with a photo of their son supported by his sisters.

Mourners of Kamil Shnaan policeman who was shot by terrorists

Mourning another Druze policeman who fell in the line of duty.

Another stop for this bereaved father – the women asked that their photos not be taken.

Picture of Haiel Sitawe from women's mourning room, one of several located behind where they sat

However, they had this photo of Haiel Sitawe smiling down above where the women sat.

More of that day was posted from Maalot to Hamamish – Jews and Druze bound together in mourning

It was last July when a rocket hit a football pitch in Majdal Shams, killing 12 Druze children.

I remember my first time at the Knesset sitting across from a Druze Member of Knesset in the dairy lunch room. He spoke of the long and sometimes difficult tradition of Druze support of Israel.

Israel is coming to the aid of Druze being attacked and murdered nearby in Syria while the world watches.

Here were only a few examples of Israel and Druze coming together in good times and bad.

On Friday, July 14, 2017, two Israeli policemen

were shot and killed while on duty at the Lions Gate entrance

to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel.

The international media already seems to have forgotten.

International headlines are blasting

about the fact that Israel installed metal detectors

while ignoring the reason for them.

The guns to shoot the policeman in the back

were hidden in their supposedly holy sanctuary.

On Wednesday, July 19, I joined a group

organized by OneFamily to visit the grieving families.

We left the hills of Jerusalem,

went past green fields,

many filled with bales of hay,

and row after row of banana trees.

Driving to northern Israel

we passed a Texas supermarket and traveled

on roads that reminded me of the hills of West Virginia.

Along the way, we passed the town of Maalot-Tarshiha

and this sign, which made me think of the

Maalot Massacre and terrorists killing Jews in their homes,

then murdering 22 more children on a school trip.

Finally,

we arrived at the entrance of Horfeish, with its large Israeli and Druze flags.

Next to them were posters with black memorial ribbons

around the faces of the two murdered policemen.

On the wall over the male mourners was a photo of Kamil Shnaan,

while his mother in the women’s section

clutched her murdered son’s photo.

The Druze women were dressed in black with white scarves,

and received hundreds who came to pay their condolences.

Among the visitors was a group

of senior bikers, the Zion Riders.

Not sure what the young boys were thinking,

when one of them revved up his Harley-Davidson to leave.

Little was spoken, for what is there to say

to a woman who has just lost her youngest son?

Then back in the bus,

as we drove down the winding road,

there was a majestic view of the Kinneret.

Israel has so many beautiful spots,

but we were on our way to the next grieving family.

The father of the murdered policeman, Haiel Sitawe,

was upstairs with the men and stood to receive his visitors.

The women downstairs did not want any photos taken.

Large wedding portraits of Haiel were placed

along the wall behind the row of grieving women.

His widow was as beautiful as any model, though so pale and sad.

Haiel will not get to see his baby son grow up,

who will only know his father’s smile from photos.

The world may have a short memory,

but Jewish people have a long memory and will not forget.

Before I could get this blog posted,

we have moved on to a new tragedy.

Friday night in Halamish,

a terrorist knocked on the door of the Salomon family

who were expecting guests for their Shalom Zachor,

a special party to celebrate the birth of a new baby boy.

Instead, the door was opened to a knife-wielding murderer.

No, it has nothing to do with metal detectors.

There were none for Muslims (or most of the rest of us)

back in 1974, for the Maalot Massacre,

or for the Fogel Family Massacre six years ago.

These are not clashes, but cold-blooded murderers,

mostly young men incited by the hateful, lying Arab media

and egged on in their echo-chamber of hate

to strike and kill innocents.

I hope to share “nice days” from now on,

but do not count on it,

Hamas and Abbas are counting on terror in order to

to distract from their problems,

and so far it is working for them.

The Jerusalem streets are quieter than usual,

it is summer and people are away,

hoping it stays that way. Quiet. but not too quiet.

The Real Jerusalem Streets

Israelis and Druze coming together in good times and bad

From Maalot to Halamish: Jews and Druze Bound Together in Mourning