60 Druze clerics head toward Israel

Responding to an invitation from Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, about 60 Druze clerics from Quneitra in southern Syria traveled to Israel for an unprecedented visit.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), around sixty Druze clerics gathered on Friday morning at the outskirts of the village of Hadar, located in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, most of which is occupied by Israel, under the watchful eyes of Israeli soldiers stationed at newly established posts on the village’s outskirts.

According to the agency, two buses arrived from the Israeli side under tight security measures. The Israeli army prohibited the delegation from carrying mobile phones or allowing journalists to approach them during their gathering.

The visit includes a trip to the shrine of the Prophet Shu'ayb, which holds a special significance for the Druze community, on Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, the delegation will also attend the opening of a religious center in the village of Beqoa in northern Israel, according to the program outlined in Sheikh Tarif’s invitation.

A-H

ANHA