War Hezbollah and Israel

I also don’t think it was on purpose, I think it was a screw up.

Who would you consider to be an impartial observer?

They aren’t muslim, they believe in reincarnation. Think there are various influences on their religious practice. Bit like how Islam has been influenced by christianity but muslims are not Christians iyswim.

Nobody's making excuses. Just trying to understand, as it makes little sense.

You're probably right. A misfire, didn't have the range for the intended target.

As for retaliation.. an impossible situation.

I dread to think where this is leading.

I'll reserve judgment for now.

I think the Druze are a minority Shiite religion, separate from Islam. I say "think" as I'm cautious about saying anything.

So potentially a target. Happy to be corrected.

In any event I am very concerned about how this is escalating.

And reckless talk from the White House about Iran.

There leads absolute disaster.

An all out war would be devestating for both sides and I pray and hope it doesn't come to that. Enought blood has already been shed. I read a snippet from bbc interviewing members of the druze community in the Golan heights and despite their immense grief they don't want a retaliation that would escalate the already volatile situation

“I don’t think the government needs to respond,” Nassar says. “They need to end the war, so no-one dies on either side.”
The mood up here, away from the occasional angry outbursts down at the football pitch, is extremely subdued.
But this is a part of the world where hospitality runs deep.
A group of young men call us over, offering water thimbles of strong coffee.
They’re determined to stay put, despite the danger.
“We Druze don’t leave our homes,” one tells me, echoing a quiet defiance we encounter elsewhere.
When it comes to what happens next, they’re unanimous: they don’t want a wider war.
“The children here, the children in Lebanon, the children in Gaza. They don’t need more war,” another says.

Because they realised after how much they messed up.

Israelis and the Druze have a lot of mutual love for one another. Blood donations have already been organised for the injured.
Israel is in mourning for these children and will naturally retaliate.
As I'm sure will the Lebanese Druzim.

I am concerned what Hezbollah will do to prevent a civil war is Lebanon as they know they wouldn't win.

Precisely.
Druzim are generally very pro-Israeli and have no issues with Jews at all.
It is common to see the Israeli/Druze flag combined in settlements.
I have always found them lovely. Welcoming and warm.

In the Golan area, the lack of Israeli support has more to do with the proximity to Syria and fear than anything else.

Many if not most of the younger generation took up Israeli citizenship. Older generations tended not to in case Syria got control again and there were reprisals for anyone who took up Israeli citizenship.

Correct, during the 2006 Israel vs Lebanon war a Hezbollah rocket accidentally hit an Arab location killing 2 civilians, Hezbollah immediately acknowledged the mistake and apologised:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2006/8/20/timeline-lebanon-conflict

This village/Town is highly Pro Palestinian/ Pro Assad and anti occupation. There was a slight increase in taking Israeli citizenship during the time that it was speculated that Assad would fall, but they've mostly remained loyal to Syria and Lebanon.
Some locals have just kicked out Likud members who attempted to attend the children's funerals:

“You murderer, get out of here!” Syrian Druze residents of the town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights expel Israeli Finance Minister and other members of the Likud (Netanyahu’s party) from the funeral of the 12 youths who were killed after a missile fell on a soccer field. The Israeli media and army have described the victims as Israeli civilians, but the residents of Majdal Shams are Syrian Druze living under occupation since the Israeli army occupied the Golan Heights in 1967. Residents of the town have refused Israeli citizenship and continue to view themselves as Syrians."
https://x.com/TheCradleMedia/status/1817528485667074227

Honestly @SpicyKitty I'm not interested in what the White House has to say. They are a million miles away from being an impartial observer.

No offence but they are bought and paid for.

www.aipacpac.org/home

@Bunnyasmyname can you share a link? I haven't seen anything. I'm not in TikTok but any of the other socials will do.

Hezbollah themselves claimed responsibility for this attack, as well as 4 other attacks, before reports of the strike's impact emerged.

I am reluctant to say this but bear with.

Why would hezbollah target Syrian Druze.

Geographically, politically, strategically, it makes no sense.

And why would they deny it. Like what would be the point of it, just to deny it.

They haven't shied away from admitting in the past.

None of it makes any sense.

Absolutely. Let’s be clear. There was no war in the North - Hizbollah have dragged their people into a conflict and killed 12 children/teenagers in this one strike.

Thanks for the clarification Ella, so most of the Druze that live in that area, are residents of Israel rather than citizens, which means they aren’t mandated to serve in the IDF.

It’s one tragedy after another, with each new tragedy making things worse. Stop killing children please!

Of the Druze in Israeli, according to the IDF website on the disbanding of the Druze unit in 2015 (nothing more recent that I saw) around 80% of Druze draft. There were about 145,000 Druze in Israel in 2020, according to Israel Bureau of Statistics (found on wikipedia, sorry). The 4 Druze villages in the Golan have population around 23,000, of whom approx 20% have taken Israeli citizenship, and the trend to take citizenship is apparently increasing yearly. The poster was talking about "Most Druze in Israel ... with many many serving in the IDF" So as most Druze (87% ish) in Israel are Israeli, and most of these draft, as the poster was talking about Druze in Israel generally, this would be true. In those particular 4 villages, however, you'd be right, a minority would be conscripted.

The funerals for 11 of the children were held today 💔Multiple children remain in intensive care, and 1 child is missing. Reports are also saying that 4 (possibly 5) children were members of the same family.

Ah OK, I stand corrected. So the 'many, many serving with the IDF' that that poster spoke of are the minority that are Israeli citizens that are conscripted.

@EllaDisenchanted thanks for the explanation Ella, that makes more sense now.

Such terrible news, all children.

You’ve not misunderstood- It’s compulsory conscription for male Druze Israeli citizens, but as about 80% of the Druze in the villages in the Golan are Israeli residents, not citizens, they are not conscripted.

Ah ok, I thought conscription was compulsory for Druze men but perhaps I misunderstood.

And aren't the men from the druze community required to join the IDF?

They aren't. Possibly because the vast of majority of Golan Druze although entitled to Israeli citizenship haven't taken them up on the offer because they are Syrian citizens(though Israel and seemingly that poster too doesn't recognise their Syrian citizenship) living in occupied territory.