Druze community mourns as thousands flock to Majdal Shams following fatal rocket strike

In Druze villages in the Golan Heights, locals are observing a day of mourning following the death of 12 children in a rocket strike from Lebanon.

Black flags fly on the lamp posts along the main streets of Masa’ada, Buqa’ata and Majdal Shams, where businesses are shuttered and locals are wearing black.

The gesture is a demonstration of the strong family and friendship ties that unite the dozen-odd Druze villages of the Golan.

Thousands from across the region travel to Majdal Shams for the funerals of 10 of the victims (the 11th victim is buried in Ein Qiniyye and the 12th victim’s body is still missing).

“There is no difference between Druze villages and indeed between the Druze of the Golan or the Druze of the rest of Israel or even the region. We are all hurting, and we feel the pain of our Jewish brethren as well,” says Ali Faraj, a 59-year-old man from the Druze village of Hurfeish in the Galilee who is in Majdal Shams for the funerals.