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Some 100 Druze sheikhs crossed into Israeli territory from the Syrian border on Friday morning after Israel approved a historic visit to a shrine in Tiberias.
The Druze sheikhs, most from the Druze village of Hader in southern Syria, arrived via buses to the border gate, where they were greeted by their Israeli brethren, waving the Druze flag.
A singing crowd of local Druze welcomed the sheikh delegation as they arrived in the Galilee region.
The cultural significance of Nabi Shu’ayb
Israel approved the arrival of Syrian Druze sheikhs into Israel to take part in the annual pilgrimage to Nabi Shu’ayb’s shrine, where, according to Druze tradition, the prophet Shu’ayb is buried.
As part of their visit, the group met Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel. The sheikh delegation granted Tarif a plaque and a sword used in the Druze community’s traditional sword dances.
The shiekhs’ visit comes amid recent Israeli overtures made to the Druze community of southern Syria. On Sunday, Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israel intends to allow Syrian Druze and Circassians to work on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights.
Katz credited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich with facilitating the move. Israel would protect the Syrian Druze community from threats by the new regime in Syria led by interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa, he added.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
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