Israel’s Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu on Tuesday visited the Israeli Druze security guard whose vicious beating by Jewish youth at Mount Meron on the Saturday before Lag B’Omer was caught on security cameras.
“I came on behalf of the Otzma Yehudit Party and the government of Israel to tell you personally, we will not be silent about this horrific incident,” Eliyahu told Hamoud Sha’afi, the 27-year-old victim of the attack, and his family.
“The chairman of the party, [National Security] Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, ordered as soon as the case became known to investigate in depth and make sure that the attackers are brought to justice,” Eliyahu said.
Security camera footage shows the attack by seven Jews on May 6. Two suspects were soon arrested with more arrests expected in the case.
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“They heard that we were speaking in Arabic and started beating us. I shouted that I was a Druze, I thought maybe they would stop beating me. They didn’t stop,” Sha’afi said.
The family expressed their love for the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces during Eliyahu’s visit.
“We love the army, we love the country, if you come to us on Saturday you will think you are in a military base because of the many security vehicles of IDF and Border Police officers. Members of the Druze community, we all serve,” the family said.
Hamoud added: “I served three years in the 188th Brigade of the Armored Corps, from 2016 to 2019. If not for my injury I would now be in the reserves.”
Eliyahu said, “We have a historic alliance and shared destiny with the Druze community. Moses, the greatest of the prophets, was saved and grew up with Jethro. Whoever is responsible for this serious attack will pay the price, and in God’s name we will insist on it.
Shuaib (Jethro) is revered as the chief prophet in the Druze religion.