It's Druze's duty to stand by their brothers
Op-ed: The members of Israel's Druze community have fought and died for Israel's security; Israel must intervene to save their brothers in Syria from an Islamist massacre.
As a Druze living in Israel, I see this state as my home and as an inseparable part of me. There is a lifelong covenant today between the Druze and the Jews. My brothers and I serve in the IDF out of complete faith in the rightness of this people's way. We have participated in all of Israel's wars and have lost our finest sons and brothers in them.
Although it was clear to us that some of those who fought us were also Druze, there was no room for thinking about whether it was moral to fight them, because that's the Druze faith: You are loyal and fight for the country you live in.
The radical Islamic organizations participating in the civil war in Syria are working for ethnic cleansing: They are far off from Islam. But radical organization like the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra have already reached both sides of the Mountain of the Druze and are waiting for the right time to attack and to take over the city of As-Suwayda. Thousands of Druze, including myself, are losing sleep over the thought that our Druze brothers may be their next victim.
That's also the reason why I would be willing to sacrifice my soul for my brothers in Syria without any hesitation. I can't imagine a situation in which I will watch them being massacred and humiliated by the Islamists.
And I ask myself: Is it possible that Israel, the state of the nation which saw six million of its members annihilated by the Nazis while the world's countries didn’t lift a finger to save them, will stand idly by? The members of the Druze community have fought and died for Israel's security. Will Israel not intervene to save our brothers?
Despite the serious consequences that such aid could generate, Israel will have to act one way or another in light of the possible massacre of our Druze brothers. It can transfer the Druze weapons, medical equipment and everything needed to ward off the Islamists.
We are not short of faith in the rightness of the way and of courage. We are a noble people. But we shall not let go because you don’t conquer the rock if there is no grave down the hill.
Standing by our brothers in Syria is our duty. If a person has failed to find something he is willing to die for, he is not fit to live. And if we don't die for our brothers, who will we die for?
Lieutenant Colonel (res.) Kamil Wahabi, a Beit Jan resident, served as a fighter and officer in the IDF's Paratroopers Brigade.
