After seven years of searches, missing soldier's remains identified

Body of Majdi Halabi, who went missing in 2005, discovered near neighboring Druze village

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The IDF on Thursday confirmed the discovery of the remains of a Druze soldier who had been missing since May 2005, ending seven years of searches and uncertainty for his family.

Pvt. Majdi Halabi went missing while attempting to hitchhike back to his army base, near Tirat Hacarmel, from his hometown of Daliyat al-Carmel. His remains were discovered near the neighboring village of Isfiya two weeks ago. The Institute of Forensic Medicine confirmed a DNA match.

He served in the IDF’s Ordnance Corps. The circumstance surrounding his death are being investigated by the Israel Police.

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The remains of Halabi’s body were found by Rahim Kurzi, a JNF worker, two and a half weeks ago. Kurzi was clearing burnt trees and other brush from Nahal Hik in the Carmel Forest, some two kilometers from the Halabi family home.

Maj Gen Haggi Dotan, police commander of the Carmel Shore region, said he expected the investigation to be “very long” and that “surely the seven years that have passed have not helped preserve the scene (of the crime).”

Halabi’s father, Nazmi Halabi, told Ynet that the family had never lost hope and now wanted to thank Israel’s security forces. “This is it now. We believe in fate. This is a very difficult blow, and we’re in a difficult state, but we thank all those who stood by us and supported us,” he was quoted as saying.

On Thursday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Nazmi Halabi and conveyed his condolences to the Halabi family and the Druze community. “My heart is with you,” Netanyahu said. “I understand the deep pain of receiving the awful announcement.”

Rafik Halabi, a family relative, told Israel Radio that it was still unclear how Majdi had died, but that it had clearly taken too long to find him. “Why did they only find him now?” he said. “Unequivocally, not enough was done.”

The December 2010 Carmel Forest fire, which raged through the area, may have burnt away the brush and revealed the body.

Two years after his disappearance, Halabi’s family raised awareness of their missing son’s case and called for increased efforts to locate him. They founded the Born to Freedom Foundation and offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his discovery.