15,000 attend memorial for fallen Druze soldiers
Thousands of people attended a memorial service Friday to commemorate the Druze soldiers killed in action while serving in the Israel Defense Force. Over 15,000 took part in bike rides and races between the northern Druze villages of Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya, in honor of the fallen soldiers. President Reuven Rivlin, Minister of Defense Moshe Ya’alon, and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz were set to take part in the ceremony following the event, which was organized by the Beshvil Habanim (“For the sons”) association and was initiated by the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee.
“I can’t recall any event that has brought such excitement and pride to the entire community,” Amal Assa’ad, one of the organizers of the event said in a press statement. “These events reveal the dimensions of identification that all ethnic sectors have with the Druze community in general, and with the bereaved families in particular.”
Ahead of the event, Silvan Shalom, the Minister Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee, said the fallen Druze soldiers were heroes, who died defending the citizens of Israel. “They are evidence of the ever-lasting connection between the Druze community and the state of Israel.”
During the event, Gantz lay the cornerstone for a 216 kilometer hiking route between several Druze villages in the north. “We come here as an expression of partnership, friendship, respect and unity among Israeli society,” Gantz said. “Acts like this [event] describe much better than words the depth of this partnership.”
http://www.timesofisrael.com/15000-attend-memorial-for-fallen-druze-soldiers/#ixzz3DC7nMywO
