members of the minority are increasingly vocal about worries the new regime will not provide safety with the Druze community demonstrating to voice opposition to the lack of security provided to their fellow Druze by the new regime in Syria In the wake of the clashes between jihadists and Druze Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz released a statement confirming that the IDF has launched a "warning operation" to send a message to the new regime and hit an extremist group planning on attacking the Druze in Sahnaya Some Israeli Druze are even preparing to enter Syria to join their brethren amid the threat of jihadists with youth amassing in the four Druze villages in the Golan Heights This comes after several Druze died in Jaramana following the release of an audio clip that had a man criticizing the Prophet Muhammad which was attributed by extremists to Druze cleric Marwan Kiwan and blamed it on elements attempting to "incite strife between components of the Syrian people." After a rocket from Lebanon struck a playing field in the Druze settlement of Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights yesterday killing twelve children and youths and injuring many more Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant visited the site of the attack this morning You should know that the whole country and the whole army are with you," Gallant said "Tell the families in my name and in the name of the entire defense establishment that we identify with you in this very hard Hezbollah is responsible for this and will pay the price." Hezbollah denied that it was responsible for the incident but IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said last night "The Hezbollah field commander who directed the fire is Ali Muhammad Yahya The rocket was of Iranian manufacture." Israel Air Force aircraft attacked targets in Lebanon overnight The UN special coordinator for Lebanon and the head of the UN peacekeeping force in the country called for "maximum restraint" on Israel’s northern border Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his visit to the US and flew back to Israel last night "The State of Israel will not pass over this in silence," he said various attacks by Iran’s proxies in Lebanon have cost human lives Most of Hezbollah’s attacks have been directed against military targets and most of the attacks have been by means of UAVs but in the case of the attack on Majdal Shams the weapon was a Falaq 1 rocket This is an Iranian manufactured rocket that Hezbollah uses over a range of 10-11 kilometers It was produced in the 1990s by the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG) a subsidiary of Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) It can be fired from a multi-barrel launcher mounted on a vehicle a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies explained to "Globes" why the rocket managed to hit Majdal Shams and was not intercepted "It may be that the air defense system was swamped by targets," he said "Hezbollah sometimes deceives the system with decoy UAVs while firing a rocket Another possibility is that the rocket was fired from very short range Iron Dome is effective against rockets launched to a certain altitude "A third factor that can affect interception is that Iron Dome needs time to react to a rocket Anti-tank missiles such as the Kornet reach speeds of 300-400 meters per second Large rockets with bigger motors can reach 700-800 meters per second or more Such a rocket covers a range of ten kilometers in about twelve seconds and it’s therefore difficult for Iron Dome to intercept it." "The degree of success of Iron Dome in the north is lower than in the Gaza Strip area That stems from the character of the battlefield with launches at low altitude and at short range We saw that the UAV launched towards the Karish gas platform was successfully intercepted apparently thanks to the distance and the altitude which made it possible to spot it and to intercept it without any damage caused." Kalisky says that the painful event yesterday did not surprise him and that in his view a game of Russian roulette has been played for months in Israel’s north and in this instance we saw that there was a miss The response to this event needs to be at clear targets and with achievable goals Declarations about wiping out Hezbollah are not helpful It has to be taken into account that there are two other fronts and so everything needs to be weighed before a response," he says Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on July 28 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page May 3 (EFE) – At least one person was killed and four were wounded early Saturday morning in Israeli bombings in the outskirts of Damascus “A civilian was killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes on the outskirts of the town of Harasta in the Damascus countryside,” Syria’s official news agency SANA reported noting that Israeli warplanes flew over Damascus before targeting the town on the outskirts of the city which documented violence in the country since 2011 said Israeli aircraft carried out 10 bombing raids around Harasta targeting “Regiment 41 near the military hospital.” SANA said at least four people were wounded “in the Israeli occupation’s shelling on the outskirts of Shatha northwest of Hama province,” without providing further details The Observatory said the attack was in the al-Gab plain in the Hama countryside “within the framework of the ongoing military escalation” by Israel against Syrian territory Another area targeted was the village of Mauzebain in the north of the southern province of Deraa SyriaTV noted that the attack on Izraa targeted “the 175th regiment,” while broadcasting an image of a flare-up among the buildings in the targeted area The Observatory described these attacks as “the most violent since the beginning of the year,” as it counted more than 20 air raids in different parts of Syria including various points and localities outside Damascus This wave of attacks comes shortly after Israel bombed positions near the presidential palace in Damascus which the new Syrian authorities described as “a serious escalation against the institutions of the state and its sovereignty,” and which comes at a time of growing sectarian tension in the country Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incursion as “a clear message to the Syrian regime,” assuring that they would not allow Syrian forces to threaten the Druze community Armed groups linked to the Druze community in Syria have been engaged in fierce clashes with state security forces since Tuesday and provoking an Israeli intervention on behalf of the religious minority a single rocket ended the life of my daughter along with the lives of 11 other children and teenagers from our town '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/report-un-investigation-finds-hezbollah-responsible-for-majdal-shams-rocket-attack\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=Ja8.2x3VnvvLoGVz5xg9RZ8mZnq4E12vDDGPhAs7T.c-1746516501-1.0.1.1-CEFQLiA_XA.9fwnCgzL7ZnG7Za4T1bQ4jpsQDYWJo8A" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); "\/in-war-struck-majdal-shams-assads-fall-sparks-hope-for-israels-druze\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=.ozfAhypv3CyLYjHBT_2jwdFfooa7IA0F6MMrfw5kng-1746516509-1.0.1.1-86MFgi_s0qxAvkJEH.6OpOqQtn4lq_LTTyOOfDThxVM" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/hezbollah-commander-responsible-for-deadly-majdal-shams-attack-killed-yesterday\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=vOs_kEF0SH4pDrng_xUYw0lRQwCqr2o6BFem3WwEPBM-1746516517-1.0.1.1-xlsYqlcgKmUL4YqTMyHSqThpDJiqJWAs47AGOQsNlCE" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Then the War With Hezbollah StartedEver since the Syrian civil war relations have warmed between Golan Heights Druze and the Israeli authorities but the Gaza war has frozen plans for Majdal Shams Druze on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights were standoffish about Israel with many considering themselves Syrian citizens under Israeli occupation – and some expecting an eventual return of the territory to Syria "\/liveblog_entry\/local-council-coordinating-arabic-speaking-social-workers-to-go-to-majdal-shams\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=XqZTxGY_XgkOs72uh8.dij9ObCXkcR7YmIQZPY18ick-1746516521-1.0.1.1-xY6cZvJXygEuF9Sd3uOA21DIOxTG3k5VFpjw6sq0wvw" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null the flag of the Syrian revolution flooded the streets of Majdal Shams Gathering in the town’s central square — dominated by the statue of Sultan Al-Atrash who led the Great Syrian Revolt against the French colonial administration here a century ago — residents sang songs of jubilation For these Druze residents — many of whom are not Israeli citizens, reject the state’s authority, and instead hold onto their Syrian identity — the events transpiring only a few kilometers across the border will have a direct impact on their lives and many even studied at Syrian universities prior to the outbreak of the civil war in 2011 “I’ve waited my whole life for this moment,” Shehada Nasrallah one of those celebrating in the town square on Monday night The man killed and destroyed all of Syria,” he continued adding that some of his friends were killed by the Assad regime “The scenes from Damascus and other Syrian cities bring happiness and I only wish that many of my friends were still alive to witness these moments,” Nasrallah said expressing hope that Syria will become a democratic country “as it deserves to be,” and that Syrians will be able to live “without fear of the regime or Islamist groups.”  many critics of the Assad regime in the Jawlan refrained from expressing their views for fear of retaliation against their relatives in Syria Among the few who openly expressed opposition to the Syrian government in recent years was Malham Abu Saleh Abu Saleh explained that most residents of the Jawlan who wished to see the end of Assad’s regime had lost hope that this day would ever come, particularly after the missile strike in late July on a soccer field in Majdal Shams that killed 12 children — for which Israel blamed Hezbollah “This disaster amplified voices calling for ‘Israelization’ among the Jawlan’s residents,” he said “Coupled with the wars in Gaza and Lebanon it led us to believe that the possibility of liberation for the Syrian people had grown more distant.”  “When rebels began advancing into the western outskirts of Aleppo last week we thought it was just ‘routine’ incidents,” Abu Saleh said “But after they entered the city and the regime retreated so easily we started to understand that something different was taking place “It may take years to understand what really happened and what occurred behind the scenes,” Abu Saleh continued the world will learn about the massacres that took place in Syria and the mass graves The Syrian Holocaust will be a black stain on the history of humanity.” Like their fellow Syrians across the border the civil war left residents of the Jawlan politically divided with some supporting the regime and others aligning with an opposition that soon fractured into many factions most Syrians in the Jawlan have supported the Assad regime its flag was hoisted aloft in their villages and no local leaders attended Monday’s celebratory rally in Majdal Shams “It’s still hard for us to believe the regime fell so quickly,” one resident this regime would not have fallen had it joined the ‘Israel normalization camp,’ left the Axis of Resistance We believe it was a victim of a conspiracy supported by Western countries and Israel.” A young man from Ghajar — a village in the northern Jawlan that borders Lebanon and whose residents are mostly Alawite like the Assads  — also spoke to +972 on the condition of anonymity about why he had backed the regime “Our support was not driven by sectarian motives,” he explained and especially to minorities,” he continued “They were clearly backed by external actors and it’s obvious that countries like Turkey and the United States do not genuinely care about the Syrian people’s welfare or freedom “This was the reason for our support for Assad,” he went on “We saw him as an educated leader attempting to implement reforms and improvements and we understood that the war was forced upon him leaving him no choice but to fight to preserve Syria’s unity.”  Assad’s speedy downfall was deeply disappointing to many of the residents of Ghajar “His nighttime escape — without a word of apology or an explanation — was surprising and insulting to many Syrians who personally believed in him,” the man said we hope that the situation in Syria improves and that the coming days will be better The sense of disappointment in Assad is shared by many residents of the Jawlan most people supported the regime,” Majd Mughrabi “Our connection with Damascus was good: it funded education for students like me from the Jawlan in Syrian universities and at times the Syrian state even purchased apples from the farmers here.” Mughrabi explained that many residents continued to support the regime after 2011 believing that the West and other foreign actors were conspiring against the Syrian government and fearing that the opposition was being dominated by extreme Islamist groups and now we see many who are happy about its downfall.”  Mughrabi was in Damascus when the uprising began “In the first few months of demonstrations I saw that some of the protesters in the streets were my friends,” he recalled “At a protest in the Al-Mazzeh neighborhood some of them were arrested and accused of treason “They weren’t armed; this wasn’t ISIS or Jabhat Al-Nusra,” he continued “I knew them well and knew they were patriotic young people demanding nothing but freedom and reform and the regime responded with brutality and repression I realized this was a cruel regime that persecutes innocent people.” After Mughrabi became an active supporter of the revolution Syrian authorities expelled him back to the Jawlan “I went to assist refugees at a school in the Yarmouk refugee camp but Syrian intelligence agents identified me there,” he explained “I was summoned for questioning and explicitly told: ‘If you weren’t from the Jawlan Concerns about Syria’s future continue to trouble residents of Syria and the Jawlan alike Abu Mohammad Al-Jolani — who led the military operation that brought about Assad’s overthrow and whose own family was expelled from the Jawlan during Israel’s occupation of the territory in 1967 — founded the Islamist group Jabhat Al-Nusra as an offshoot of Al-Qaeda before rebranding the group as Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham such as the lack of attacks on religious minorities the initiation of dialogue with some of them understandings with the previous government and a smooth and quiet transfer of power,” Abu Saleh was optimistic that things would be better he would not reach the level of cruelty of this regime,” he said It began as a peaceful revolution with noble objectives but the regime’s brutality along with external intervention drove it to become violent.” occupying several villages and the Syrian side of Mount Hermon/Jabal A-Shaykh “I do not believe Israel has legitimacy to remain in Syrian territories,” Abu Saleh said “Aside from [President-elect Donald] Trump the entire world agrees that the Jawlan is Syrian and does not accept the [Israeli] occupation So how can it accept the occupation of additional territories now?”  are simply celebrating the fall of a brutal regime that has controlled their lives for more than half a century “From the Jawlan that has been sold [to Israel] we send our love to the great Syrian people to the young men and women who rose up and overthrew this corrupt and murderous regime,” Samah Abu Jabal Oren Ziv assisted with this report. A version of the article was first published in Hebrew on Local Call. Read it here Baker Zoubi is a journalist from Kufr Misr currently living in Nazareth Baker has been working in the field of journalism since 2010 initially as a reporter for local Arab media outlets and later as an editor of the Bokra website he also works as a researcher and editor for television programs on the Makan and Musawa channels He writes and posts on his Facebook page various opinion pieces on politics and social issues related to Palestinian society Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7 Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives Can we count on your support +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening an unthinkable tragedy struck the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli Northern region of the Golan Heights were murdered by a Hezbollah rocket while playing soccer This should be a moment of shared grief that transcends politics we see media outlets hedging headlines and blurring the stark reality Some prime examples include headlines such as "12 killed in rocket attack on disputed Golan Heights town" which denies the victims their Israeli identity and the Golan its status as sovereign Israeli territory The article claims "some of the dead were children" in the headline only confirming in the final paragraph that all victims were children aged 8-15 Certain media outlets stated that "Israel claims it was Hezbollah." This is yet another statement sowing unwarranted doubt. Since October 7th, 2023, Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups have launched a staggering 9,500 attacks against Israel's north, from a stockpile of over 150,000 rockets and missiles. Their culpability is clear International media reports also cite casualty figures from Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry numbers long discredited as inflated propaganda Inserting this in a story about Druze children murdered on Israeli soil is a transparent attempt to minimize their deaths victims are referred to as "teenagers" before children Their citizenship is denied its rightful honor The indisputable fact this attack occurred on Israeli land is obscured with references to "disputed" territory Need I remind the world that Alsace-Lorraine changed hands between France and Germany four times from 1870 to 1945 Territorial disputes are the rule in history The world map is a palimpsest of shifting borders To single out the Golan Heights is to ignore historical reality Had any other nation been attacked as Israel was in 1967 they would have annihilated the aggressors There are images of dismembered children, their bodies torn apart by the blast, that prove the truth of this atrocity. Yet the world looks away. When "All Eyes on Rafah" trends, facts are left behind in a digital intifada of hate. where 17-year-olds with alleged militant ties are labeled "children." Casualty reports have no caveats The destruction of schools is condemned as a war crime A child's presumed innocence depends on which side of a border they die Let me be clear: killing children is wrong anywhere Young lives taken by violence deserve the same tears Placing asterisks on a child's life based on nationality is abhorrent the Druze are a distinct religious and ethnic group found mainly in Syria they have been a significant Middle Eastern minority since the 11th century which has the world's largest Druze population and committed mass kidnappings and killings ISIS beheaded teenage hostage Muhannad Abu Ammar and massacred 250 Druze villagers Israel's 145,000 Druze citizens are fiercely loyal to the Jewish state They serve in the IDF in large numbers and have fought alongside Jewish Israelis in every major conflict since 1948 The Druze hold high positions in government and are an integral part of Israel's diverse social fabric adored and respected by both the Left and the Right Israel has given the Druze a safe haven from the jihadist brutality they face elsewhere Their story puts the lie to smears of Israel as an "apartheid" state proudly Israeli while maintaining its unique identity Those who peddle such slanders erase Druze agency a poignant tradition endures at the "Shouting Hill" where Druze families separated by the Israel-Syria border gather to communicate with relatives across the divide a deeply human ritual that has persisted since the 1967 war The Shouting Hill and the Druze people are a symbol of resilience and connection in the face of geopolitical barriers As Majdal Shams and Israel buries its sons and daughters But when jihadists murder Israeli children And where is the statement from Secretary General Guterres The children of Majdal Shams must be mourned as children Not as "Druze-Israelis," not as "teenagers," not as footnotes - but as innocent kids robbed of life by terrorists Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed frustration with President Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East... Three military fronts and a domestic crisis are pushing Israel toward fateful decisions Between the hostages and the nuclear threat,.. Israel’s decision to downgrade its delegation to the pope’s funeral over his harsh comments may mark a shift in our.. Analysis  Archaeology Blogpost Business & Finance Culture Exclusive Explainer Environment Features Health In Brief Jewish World Judea and Samaria Lifestyle Cyber & Internet Sports Diplomacy  Iran & The Gulf Gaza Strip Politics Shopping Terms of use Privacy Policy Submissions Contact Us The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30 Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better more balanced and more accurate journalism [contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”] Israel launches new wave of airstrikes on Syrian military targets overnight Amid ongoing clashes between government-affiliated Islamist militias and Druze gunmen in southern Syria the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to deliver supplies to Druze forces deep within Syria and evacuated some of their wounded for treatment in Israel Since the Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized control of the Syrian government last year Israel has pledged to support the country’s Druze community against attacks and has declared southern Syria a demilitarized zone On Saturday morning, the IDF announced that it had launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on military targets in Syria, after striking a target near the presidential palace in Damascus the previous day – its strongest warning so far the IDF carried out airstrikes targeting infrastructure components and weapons across Syria including anti-aircraft cannons and surface-to-air missile launchers The IDF will continue to operate in order to carry out its missions and remove any threat in the area,” the IDF stated Syrian reports said the strikes hit around 20 targets across the Daraa five more wounded Druze were brought to Ziv Medical Center in Safed for treatment bringing the total number evacuated to Israel to 16 The IDF reiterated that its troops remain deployed in the security buffer zone in southern Syria stressing that it is “prepared to prevent the entry of hostile forces into the area of Druze villages The IDF continues to monitor developments with readiness for defense and various scenarios.” which have so far resulted in dozens of victims on both sides erupted last week after a viral recording allegedly captured a Druze leader disparaging the Muslim prophet Mohammed Attacks by Islamist militias against majority-Druze towns followed as well as in the southern Suweida province an Israeli Air Force helicopter carried humanitarian aid to Druze forces in Suweida about 70 km (43 miles) from the Israeli border a defense source told Israeli media outlets on Saturday The operation was explicitly approved by the political echelon Additional aid was delivered in coordination with the IDF and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) which said it provided “medical equipment and food boxes to Druze and Christian villages in Syria in the middle of the night amid significant risk.” The UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights a watchdog organization whose funding and affiliation are unclear has reported that over 100 people were killed in the fighting over the past week The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel "\/liveblog_entry\/witness-to-majdal-shams-attack-there-is-disaster-there-is-tragedy-and-there-is-what-happened-to-us\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=s9cJb8VoUItQu8j4unsRZJ9T1sPwEEJqMopuIeK.zk0-1746516569-1.0.1.1-2Mfr5z3VbyOirluMqhLdCRON4_1UmAaaLz7Po3cmCek" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null "\/liveblog_entry\/children-killed-in-hezbollah-attack-on-majdal-shams-soccer-field-are-named\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=FeHkMGiVJ68M.Ubeut7qwRIv_IjOuPUCES.lEVTT5bI-1746516571-1.0.1.1-v4ZBxjER5xMdZWegT1OtPt92QO1tIwTxdlISINXu3JA" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Arabic-language social media was filled with images and videos of Hezbollah's rocket attack on the town of Majdal Shams in the northern Golan Heights Alongside expressions of joy from Hezbollah supporters there were numerous angry reactions to the killing of the town's residents are "occupied Syrian residents" and their killing demonstrates the organization's disregard for the lives of Druze and Syrians "The Party of Satan specializes in killing Syrians and loves to kill children," wrote Samir a Syrian citizen who supports the rebels against the Assad regime known as "Abu Khalil," who frequently expresses support for the Syrian rebels and Turkish involvement in Syria on his Facebook and Twitter accounts wrote: "Allah's curse on the criminal Hezbollah The residents of Majdal Shams do not enlist in the IDF and many of them refuse to accept Israeli citizenship A user named Yasmin was quick to blame Israel for the incident claiming that a flaw in the Iron Dome system caused the hit on Majdal Shams the terrorist organization fired dozens of rockets at northern Israeli settlements claimed that the barrage included more than 100 rockets fired over the course of an hour to the Galilee Panhandle and the Golan Heights condemned this evening "the barbaric attack by Lebanese Hezbollah on Israeli children and youth at a soccer field Israel has the right to defend itself against this evil The world needs to protect against the heinous act of Iran's proxy in Lebanon Where are the children's rights organizations?" IDF Arabic Spokesman Avichay Adraee said: "Hezbollah has been lying and denies its connection to the incident Our intelligence is clear - Hezbollah is responsible for the killing of innocent children Hezbollah has once again exposed its ugly face as a terrorist organization." added: "Our blood is not cheap; we demand an independent investigation involving the UN to reveal the circumstances of the massacre in Majdal Shams." The Lebanese government also responded to the shooting telling Reuters: "The Lebanese government condemns attacks against civilians and calls for an end to hostilities on both sides of the front." Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stated that "Hezbollah's denial of what happened in Majdal Shams confirms its commitment to the rules of the struggle." Druze-Lebanese politician Walid Jumblatt responded this evening: "We reject attacks on civilians in Palestine We warn against attempts by the Israeli enemy to ignite a civil war and divide the region We stand with the resistance and the resistance fighters facing the crimes of the occupation." A shoulder-fired LAW was launched a vacant residential apartment in Kiryat Ata in northern Israel The Nova massacre survivor Mia Schem gave an interview to Channel 12 revealing that she was the one who approached.. how the day differs from past celebrations who will receive awards – and whether the skies.. who was injured in the Majdal Shams disaster A 12-year-old survivor underwent successful surgery to remove shrapnel from his body in the aftermath of a deadly Hezbollah attack on a football field in Majdal Shams that claimed the lives of 12 children and teenagers The incident has left the community in mourning and raised concerns about the safety of civilians in the region Adam Alsha'er underwent surgery Tuesday morning at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya The boy's condition is now described as stable a long piece of shrapnel – the length of 18 millimeters (nearly one inch) –  was removed from his body "The large piece of shrapnel was lodged in the back of the vertebra head of the orthopedics and spine surgery unit Alsha'er has been returned to the pediatric surgery ward and is expected to be discharged in the coming days 18 people injured in the attack that killed 12 children and teenagers remain hospitalized while the rest are in moderate to mild condition Alsha'er's mother described the day of the attack there's been a strike in Majdal.' We could see it from the restaurant I called his father and told him there was a strike in Majdal and Adam wasn't answering it was at the soccer field.' He just said 'come' and hung up not knowing what had happened or what we'd find I saw things there that no one should ever see he's one of the children who's been reborn." some of the children who were killed were Alsha'er's classmates and teammates We didn't expect something like this to happen both those who died and those who were injured The Diplomatic-Security Cabinet has approved a wide-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip dubbed "Gideon’s Chariots," aimed at defeating Hamas.. The plan includes conquering the Gaza Strip and holding territory moving the civilian population southward for its protection "It's time to stop fearing the word occupation," Smotrich said outlining Israel's strategy in Gaza and discussing ultra-Orthodox conscription at.. Dozens of Syrian Druze clerics crossed the armistice line on the Golan Heights into Israel on Friday for their community's first pilgrimage to a revered shrine in decades On board three buses escorted by Israeli military vehicles the clerics crossed at Majdal Shams in the Golan the delegation of around 60 clerics was due to meet the spiritual leader of Israel's Druze community They then headed to the tomb of Nabi Shuaib in the Galilee -– the most important religious site for the Druze -- where they arrived in the evening to pray Followers of the esoteric monotheistic faith are mainly divided between Syria Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights the visitors were met by scores of Druze residents who sang songs to welcome them while the men wore traditional black garb and white and red headwear "We are really drowned by good feelings and we are hosting brothers after politics and the wire have separated us for a long time," said Salim Zeidan a retired formerly teacher whose family was visiting from Syria "We've been waiting to meet them for many years it is a very emotional moment," added Jamal Ayub a 61-year-old farmer who had travelled from the Galilee to welcome his uncle The visit followed an invitation from the Druze community in Israel according to a source close to the delegation but has been met with opposition from other Druze in Syria The minority accounts for about three percent of Syria's population and is heavily concentrated in the southern province of Sweida with most of those living in Israel holding Israeli citizenship and serving in the army of the roughly 23,000 living in the occupied Golan Heights most do not hold Israeli citizenship and still see themselves as Syrian nationals saying in a statement that the clerics "represent only themselves" They accused Israel of "exploiting this religious visit as a tool to sow division" and of "seeking to use the Druze community as a defensive line to achieve its expansionist interests in southern Syria" Israel seized much of the strategic Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967 later annexing the area in 1981 in a move largely unrecognised by the international community The pilgrimage comes as Israel has voiced support for Syria's Druze and mistrust of the country's new leaders Following the ouster of longtime Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syria and sent troops into the demilitarised buffer zone of the Golan in southwest Syria Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Thursday that 10,000 humanitarian aid packages had been sent to "the Druze community in battle areas of Syria" over the past few weeks "Israel has a bold alliance with our Druze brothers and sisters," he told journalists During a visit to military outposts in the UN-patrolled buffer zone between Israel and Syria on Tuesday Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would remain in the area and ensure the protection of the Druze following a deadly clash between government-linked forces and Druze fighters in the suburbs of Damascus Katz said his country would not allow Syria's new rulers "to harm the Druze" Druze leaders immediately rejected Katz's warning and declared their loyalty to a united Syria Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that southern Syria must be completely demilitarised warning that his government would not accept the presence of the forces of the new Islamist-led government near its territory For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com "\/liveblog_entry\/syrian-druze-clerics-enter-israel-to-visit-revered-shrine-for-first-time-since-1948\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=UVRAt.lzUy82gpkGmXCZ1As4tNhk22GwNAmFQzQpqU4-1746516593-1.0.1.1-ofL46bc3QJKBFTj4X0H3uOoC8R7nrmLbF9mZ1sRnymc" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null Iran has warned Israel against any "new adventurism" against Lebanon following a rocket attack in the occupied Golan Heights on Saturday that killed at least 12 people Israel has linked the attack on a football field in the town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to Lebanon's Hezbollah group Hezbollah is responsible for the killing of innocent children in Majdal Shams," Israel's military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Saturday "categorically denied" any role in the deadly attack which comes amid heightened tensions between the two warring sides Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani referred to Hezbollah's statement denying its role in the attack and accused Israel of "seeking to divert public opinion and global attention" from its crimes in the Gaza Strip where it has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians since Oct He termed the claims made by Israel regarding the Majdal Shams attack a "fabricated scenario," adding that Tel Aviv "lacks the minimum moral authority to judge and comment on the incident." Kanaani called on the international community "to support the stability and security of Lebanon and the region against the adventurism of the aggressive Zionist regime," referring to Israel He stressed that any "foolish action" by Israel could "pave the way for increased instability and the flames of war in the region," and said the responsibility for its consequences would rest with Israel He also urged the US government to "act upon its international and moral responsibility regarding global peace and security" and prevent Israel from stoking the flames of war in Gaza and elsewhere Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he decided to shorten his trip to the United States and return "as soon as possible." He also told the leader of the Druze community that Hezbollah will "pay a heavy price" for the Majdal Shams attack Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday said they will ensure Hezbollah "pays a price." "\/liveblog_entry\/in-majdal-shams-some-demand-lebanon-burn-for-fatal-rocket-strike-others-blame-israel\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=jCDQAYjevyqROaD1uKv2Qb7Wkij81MPtsprcOI.xNx0-1746516606-1.0.1.1-LyT.EqK5q.C.UwGBC_sbm7AKwAtLJapi9LHDchGUTRc" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null A man walks in the Druze village of Majdal Shams located near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from Syria the roughly 1 million-strong minority is spread across Syria Homes cover a hill in the town of Majdal Shams near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria a rocky plateau seized from Syria by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war Israel’s 1981 annexation of the area is recognized only by the United States with the rest of the world considering it occupied Syrian territory Most Druze religious practices are shrouded in secrecy Only glimpses are visible: women wearing traditional flowing white headscarves; men with round white hats and flowing beards Women walk together near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from Syria Although Israeli citizenship is open for the Druze of the Golan Heights People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government As the region is riven once more by upheaval and fighting evidence of the 1967 war is still clear to see A woman and child walk past Israeli armored vehicles parked near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria A sign with a warning that reads in Hebrew “Danger Mines!” stands in a field near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from Syria soccer games have resumed in the playing field where a small make-shift memorial with toys and teddy bears marks the spot where the rocket hit A couple sits in a public park in the Druze village of Majdal Shams Some families are split apart by what is known as the Alpha Line the start of a buffer zone that separates the Israeli-controlled area of the Golan Heights from Syria They navigate their historically Syrian identity while living under Israeli rule the Druze generally adopted Arab nationalism including support for the Palestinian cause Youths sit on a trash dumpster as they watch an Israeli armored vehicle maneuver near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria An Israeli army tank maneuvers near the “Alpha Line” that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria Israel has also built settlements in the Golan Heights that are now home to some 25,000 Israeli Jews and the area is a popular tourist spot for Israelis Many flock to the mountainous region for the scenery and the local hot springs The sun rises over homes covering a hill in the town of Majdal Shams Israeli residents sit in a pool of hot water coming from a drilling project which exposed a subterranean hydrothermal spring near Mount Bental in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights People walk past a sign in the Druze village of Majdal Shams A woman walks past a flower store in the Druze village of Majdal Shams A man waits to fill up his tractor with fuel in the Druze village of Majdal Shams People stand inside a jewelry store in the Druze village of Majdal Shams A man crosses a street in the Druze village of Majdal Shams Despite losing 12 children in gruesome attack Druze mayor emphasized reconciliation and peace The northern reaches of Israel have been off-limits to most Israelis for over nine months now Driving north from the center of the country one is keenly aware of the invisible line dividing relatively “safe,” central Israel from the portion of the nation that has come under incessant rocket fire from Lebanon these past months Heading northeast from the coastal plane, the imaginary line is passed around the area of Golani Junction, where one of the deepest Hezbollah attacks yet damaged the IDF’s "Sky Dew" surveillance balloon which used to be visible while driving east on Highway 77 While Metula in the Upper Galilee is Israel’s northernmost town It rests at the foot of Mount Hermon in the northern Golan Heights positioned at an elevation of 1,130 meters (3,710 feet) above sea level Majdal Shams is one of five Druze towns located on the strategically important plateau When Israel captured the Golan from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 but the residents of the five towns decided to stay Since then, the Golan Druze community has lived in a legal limbo with many residents staying in close connection to family members in Syria Unlike their Druze brothers in the Galilee only a small minority serves in the military So when the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah shot an Iranian-made rocket at the town’s soccer field over a week ago, killing 12 children and wounding dozens more a neutral observer might not have been surprised to see a muted Israeli response Instead, Israel’s society erupted in outrage and pain over the slain children many of whom might not have held Israeli citizenship at all Visiting the town just a few days after, both the town’s grief and the deep sympathy of Israeli society were readily visible but blackened areas indicating recent fires – many caused by Hezbollah rockets – become more frequent many local Jewish communities fly Druze flags or put up signs expressing their condolences to the families of Majdal Shams the small town’s winding roads were still draped in black flags of mourning and the site of the massacre was adorned by numerous wreaths expressing the sympathy of various Israeli political parties and institutions The group of foreign journalists traveling to Majdal Shams that day was met by local Mayor Dolan Abu Saleh near the site of the rocket impact The relatively young leader deeply impressed the assembled reporters with a moving message acknowledging the pain but dismissing sentiments of revenge or retaliation focusing instead on peace and reconciliation “We are feeling this weight in our shoulders we feel this pain with the families who lost their dearest ones the families who now have wounded in the hospitals this is a catastrophe for Israel and the whole world.” or a response that will bring about more crying mothers We don't want that someone else would experience what we do now,” he stressed turn to the whole world to say: If the children we lost will be the message for peace it will stop and everyone will have security - we will accept it,” the mayor declared Many of the questions directed to Abu Saleh focused on what the local residents thought of how the State of Israel should act now – respond in a harsh way that would risk total escalation consider pursuing a diplomatic solution instead Just hours later, the IDF would kill Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr who was reportedly responsible for the deadly strike on Majdal Shams Mayor Abu Saleh reiterated several times that he and his town sought only peace and preferred a diplomatic resolution “I’m very much for an agreement that will promise security to all the north and the whole country of Israel and that this agreement will have international guarantees to ensure that the signees of the documents will fulfill it.” Emphasizing the close-knit character of his town “Despite our strength and organization… it will take some time to get over this,” he added Notably, Abu Saleh didn’t join the mainstream of Israeli politics today by criticizing the government for its response to the tragedy, despite some residents shouting down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several ministers when they came to visit the town we are getting help from all government agencies there is no agency that hasn’t come here with a professional team expressed willingness and offered support,” he said before emphasizing his own responsibilities He said it was now up to the local council to develop programs that use the offered funds and support to help the community in the best possible way Abu Saleh also commented on the complicated situation of the Golan Druze noting that only about 20% of them hold Israeli citizenship While hinting that some complaints had not been addressed by the government he nevertheless noted that in terms of personal security the Druze in the Golan Heights were living in an significantly better situation than their relatives in Syria “We’re trying to design an equal framework the people here live under a democratic system the like of which there is no other in the region and this influences their feeling of belonging very much.” “Israel is responsible for all Druze people” in the country a former IDF officer and Druze from the Galilee had told the journalists during the bus ride north He emphasized that the Druze community's close almost mystical connection to their homeland explains why they don’t rush to evacuate from their homes would later tell journalists that this was exactly the goal of Hezbollah: To make residents of Israel flee from their land and leave the country to fall into the terrorists' hands Despite being only a few kilometers from Syria and Lebanon Majdal Shams falls just outside of the strip along the Israel-Lebanon border that was evacuated by the government after Oct have the same mentality and support each other Ghanem's son Eyal spoke to the journalists where he serves as a reserve soldier in the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance battalion He highlighted how his Druze upbringing aligned with the IDF's values to take every possible measure to avoid harming civilians in stark contrast to Hezbollah's actions Eyal added that as a Druze and as an IDF soldier he was doing “everything possible to avoid war and reach peace.” He is a prime example of what one journalist called “Israelization,” in the sense of the integration of the Druze community into Israeli society If there is anything good that could arise from this tragedy it might be a growing sense of belonging and integration among the Golan’s Druze within Israeli society “Call it ‘Israelization,’ that’s your issue I call it something else,” Abu Saleh responded Hanan Lischinsky has a Master’s degree in Middle East & Israel studies from Heidelberg University in Germany where he spent part of his childhood and youth He finished High School in Jerusalem and served in the IDF’s Intelligence Corps and he joined ALL ISRAEL NEWS in August 2023 2024Get email notification for articles from Salim Brake FollowAug 1 a terrible disaster occurred in Majdal Shams Twelve children lost their lives to a Hezbollah rocket There were several particularly difficult and painful stories within this disaster His parents dashed between all the hospitals in the area Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.