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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 625

Muafak Tarif

Druze clerics greet each other as they await visiting counterparts from Syria in a bus through a border barrier guarded by Israeli soldiers, near the village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, on April 25, 2025. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
April 27, 2025, 5:07 am
Israeli, Syrian relatives reunite as 650 Druze clerics visit Israel for 2-day pilgrimage
Admitted for festival at Jethro’s tomb holy site, tearful participant hopes ties ‘won’t be cut off’; community chief hails ‘historic’ event in which some met their kin for 1st time
By ToI Staff and AFP
A man fires a weapon in the air ahead of the arrival of Syrian Druze clerics at the tomb of Nabi Shuaib in northern Israel on March 14, 2025. There is no suggestion the man depicted caused the injury of a woman (John Wessels / AFP)
March 15, 2025, 11:44 am
Woman lightly hurt by celebratory gunfire as Syrian Druze visit nearby tomb in Israel
Incident condemned by Druze leadership: ‘Whoever shoots is not one of us’; local residents say police stood by and didn’t take action
By ToI Staff and AFP
Druze people wave near a border barrier in the northern Israeli village of Majdal Shams, as buses transporting visiting Druze men from Syria arrive, on March 14, 2025. (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
March 14, 2025, 2:10 pm
‘New chapter’: Syrian Druze clerics enter Israel for first pilgrimage since 1948
60 clerics pray at tomb of Nabi Shuaib, the most important Druze religious site, are set to meet leader of Israeli community; other Syrian Druze strongly oppose trip
By AFP and ToI Staff
Vehicles drive on a busy street of the Druze-majority Jaramana city in the Damascus countryside on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)
March 12, 2025, 11:05 pm
Some 100 senior figures from Syrian Druze community to visit Israeli Golan Heights
Group is expected to meet Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif in Israel and visit shrine; Jerusalem has said Syrian Druze will be allowed to work in Israel
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Druze men seen during a funeral in Majdal Shams, February 14, 2025. (Michael Giladi/ Flash90)
March 10, 2025, 1:38 am
Cabinet okays NIS 4 billion plan to boost country’s Druze, Circassians over 5 years
Community leaders welcome investment, but call it only a ‘first step,’ and express hope it won’t ‘remain on paper’ like previous promises
By Nava Freiberg and ToI Staff
Israeli Druze poet Suleiman Daghash eulogizing his grandchild Sufian Daghash, an IDF soldier killed in Gaza, at his funeral in the northern Israeli city of Maghar, January 6, 2024 (Social media; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
January 7, 2024, 11:59 pm
Palestinians call to strip Druze poet of awards for attending soldier grandson’s funeral
Arab Israeli author Suleiman Daghash was considered an ambassador of Palestinian poetry — until his eulogy for his grandson, who fell fighting for IDF in Gaza
By Gianluca Pacchiani
Renewable energy wind turbines as seen next to the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon on January 3, 2021, in the northern Golan Heights. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
August 25, 2023, 6:22 pm
Work on Golan wind turbines that sparked unrest expected to resume next week
Druze community still opposes project; construction first expected on turbines that are furthest from protesting communities
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muafak Tarif in his office in Jerusalem on June 21, 2023. (Haim Zach/GPO)
June 25, 2023, 5:58 am
Netanyahu announces brief pause to wind turbine construction in Golan Heights
PM says project on hold until after Eid al-Adha holiday on Wednesday; follows Druze leader’s warning against a community reaction that ‘the country has hitherto not seen’
By ToI Staff
File: Muafak Tarif, head of the Druze community in Israel, at a ceremony held at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on May 29, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
June 24, 2023, 5:50 pm
Druze leader: Golan wind turbine project must stop or face unprecedented response
Muafak Tarif speaks at emergency meeting over controversial project that has enraged Druze living on the plateau
By ToI Staff
Illustrative: Israeli security forces in Kfar Qaddum, near the West Bank city of Nablus, October 7, 2022. (Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)
November 28, 2022, 12:49 pm
Druze IDF troops held for allegedly throwing IED at West Bank home in revenge attack
3 soldiers arrested over incident thought linked to snatching of body of teenage Druze car crash victim Tiran Fero by Palestinian gunmen; no injuries or damage reported
By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
Mayor Wisam Nibwani of the northern Druze town of Julis. (YouTube screenshot, used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)
September 25, 2022, 2:05 pm
Shots fired at home of Druze mayor as land dispute turns ugly
Damage caused to Wisam Nibwani’s house in Julis but no injuries; police break up riots after attack as Druze leader urges calm
By Michael Horovitz
Bassam Kablan, 40, who was shot to death at his building supply store in the Druze town of Beit Jann in northern Israel on July 1, 2022. (Courtesy)
July 1, 2022, 5:51 pm
Brother of former Beit Jann mayor shot to death
Bassam Kablan killed at work in a building supplies store, making him the 48th Arab or Druze homicide victim this year; second person seriously injured
By ToI Staff
Police volunteer Hossam Zaghir is buried in the northern town of Yarka, September 22, 2021. (Fadi Amun/Courtesy)
September 22, 2021, 8:14 pm
‘One of the best:’ Police volunteer killed in Nahariya car-ramming buried
Officials mourn 32-year-old Hossam Zaghir in Yarka; commissioner vows to make assailant ‘pay a heavy price’
By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
Illustrative: Greek Orthodox patriarch Theophilos III (L), Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau (2nd-L), then President-elect Reuven Rivlin (C), Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muafek Tarif (2nd-R), and Union of Imams in Israel leader Sheikh Muhammad Kiwan, during a meeting of religious leaders at the offices of the Chief Rabbinate in Jerusalem, on July 9, 2014. (Flash90)
April 22, 2020, 11:50 am
Chief rabbis to join Christian, Muslim, Druze leaders in interfaith prayer
Religious figures to recite special prayer for victims of coronavirus pandemic and in light of rising anti-Semitism, racism across globe
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 2r, meets with the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Muafak Tarif, 2l, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on July 27, 2018. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
August 2, 2018, 10:25 pm
PM walks out on Druze over criticism from leader who had warned of ‘apartheid’
Incensed over Facebook post from last month in which Amal As’ad said Israel was headed toward ‘apartheid,’ Netanyahu ends summit meant to solve nation-state law crisis
By ToI Staff
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