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Last update - 19:49 14/12/2007 IDF chief: Druze officers are this generation's Maccabees By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service Tags: Gabi Ashkenazi, Druze  Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi praised Druze officers Friday, comparing them to the ancient band of Jewish warriors who overthrew Greek rule in the Holy Land. "The Druze officers are our generation's Maccabees," Ashkenazi said during a visit Friday to the Galilee village of Kfar Julis. The chief of staff appeared in Kfar Julis to mark the Islamic Feast of the Sacrific, or Eid al-Adha. In light of the recent violent clashes between police and residents of the Druze town of Peki'in, Ashkenazi sought to emphasize and strengthen ties with the Druze community. Advertisement The IDF chief added that the rate of enlistment of Druze soldiers into the IDF - among the highest in the country - continues to climb. Ashkenazi said that more than half of Druze enlistees serve in combat units, and ranking officers continue to take command of soldiers operating in vital areas. Ashkenazi also paid a visit to Bedouin community leaders in Kfar Julis, during which he praised Bedouin soldiers, vowing that any Bedouin who enlists will receive every opportunity that is afforded to other soldiers. Ashkenazi cited the importance of army service for young Bedouins as an entrance ticket into Israeli society. On Sunday, both chief rabbis, Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar, will meet with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muafek Tarif in Kfar Julis. Metzger and Amar will proceed onto Peki'in following the meeting. Related articles: Moshe Arens / Playing with fire Peki'in officials demand commission of inquiry into clashes MKs slam police 'unrestrained use of violence' in Druze town Israel Harel / Conditional loyalty Bookmark to del.icio.us   Baptism by fire Bradley Burston offers 10 Mideast traps for Barack Obama to avoid. A second life 'Exodus' passenger makes aliyah six decades after being turned away.   1.   Bedouin wanted? 19:03  |  David 14/12/07   2.   David #1, Have you been to Israel and seen the Bedouin? 20:19  |  The Equalizer 14/12/07   3.   druse mcabees and olmert 20:41  |  marcel 14/12/07   4.   yeah whatever david 21:34  |  Sol 14/12/07   5.   #1 David NY 21:51  |  * BEN JABO 14/12/07   6.   what a laod 22:08  |  saul 14/12/07   7.   #1-2 David - You said it yourself 22:54  |  * BEN JABO 14/12/07   8.   No. 2 Sol 23:36  |  Steve 14/12/07   9.   To David 23:58  |  dovale 14/12/07   10.   Bravo to Chief of Staff- positive step 00:22  |  Noam 15/12/07   11.   David in NY 01:06  |  rich 15/12/07   12.   Steve in Minneapolis 01:09  |  rich 15/12/07   13.   To Dovale.. any mirrors? 01:33  |  Justin 15/12/07   14.   No. 9 02:46  |  Steve 15/12/07   15.   #8 Steve MN - To avoid confusion 04:01  |  * BEN JABO 15/12/07   16.   #13 Justin - WA 04:04  |  * BEN JABO 15/12/07   17.   druze 06:24  |  Observer 15/12/07   18.   Why don`t the Palestinian Israelis serve? 06:44  |  Jewboy 15/12/07   19.   # 4 to "sol" in haifa; you need to check again... 06:49  |  eric 15/12/07   20.   # 15 to ben jabo 06:52  |  eric 15/12/07   21.   # 2 to the equalizer in FLORIDA 07:09  |  eric 15/12/07   22.   Where are the JEWISH Maccabees? 09:37  |  Moshe 15/12/07   23.   bedouins vs settlers 13:09  |  elj 15/12/07   24.   # 12 Rich in LONDON? 14:06  |  Petra 15/12/07   25.   To all 20:57  |  Ghandi 15/12/07   26.   #20-2 Eric - speaking of "Ignorance" 03:33  |  * BEN JABO 17/12/07   27.   #2001 2ND TRY Eric NM 04:44  |  * BEN JABO 17/12/07   28.   #25 Ghandi 05:02  |  *BEN JABO 17/12/07   29.   #27 Eric NM - X-Mas is almost here 18:58  |  * BEN JABO 17/12/07   30.   Jewboy Why don`t who serve? 23:14  |  American in NY 22/07/08

Read & React Bradley Burston: Ten Mideast traps for Obama to avoid Responses: 45 Israel keen to crack down on East Jerusalem Responses: 22 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist Responses: 22 Hezbollah chief to UN: Ready to swap more prisoners with Israel Responses: 16 Akiva Eldar: Divide J'lem, for the sake of the Jewish state Responses: 4 Aluf Benn: Israel's slap in the face from America Responses: 5 Rosner's Domain Is Jimmy Carter 'tone-deaf' to Jewish sensibilities? (WTR) Will Lebanon pay the price for the prisoner swap deal? What will Obama look for in Jerusalem (and Ramallah)? Why does Israel keep agreeing to prisoner swaps? More Headlines 07:28 Israel keen to crack down on East Jerusalem 08:27 ANALYSIS / Timing of second Jerusalem bulldozer attack was amazing 09:04 'No excuses,' says visiting Obama about bulldozer terrorist 05:51 ANALYSIS / Obama visiting Israel to impress Jewish voters, not Israelis 09:20 Hezbollah chief to UN: Ready to swap more prisoners with Israel 09:23 UN: Violence in Gaza dropping, peace developments on rise 04:55 Iran hackers target Israeli Web site over message by Jewish group 09:18 Senior IDF officer seriously hurt after jeep flips over in south 10:02 Goodbye Golden Girl: Comic actress Estelle Getty dies at 84 09:47 Livni: When I'm PM, I want a unity coalition with Labor and Likud 02:55 Talansky to Haaretz: Olmert most astute politician I've met 01:48 Olmert government to hold first meeting on global jihad Wednesday 05:31 Man ordered to pay wife NIS 55,000 for refusing to divorce her 06:50 New Clean Air legislation sees heavy fines, jail for polluters Previous Editions Select Day 22 jul 21 jul 20 jul 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul

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