Telling to the true reality of Israel arabs

By Benjy Lankin  

If your entire understanding of Jews, Israelis, and the IDF came from the news, you might believe a very simple story:
that Jews hate Arabs, that Israel is only a military force, that our presence here is only about power and attack.

But that story is not what I see.

I am currently stationed on the border between Syria and Lebanon.
Part of our mission is connected to the protection of Druze villages in Syria from the radical islamist forces threatening them after the fall of the Assad regime.

For anyone who does not know, the Druze are a small religious and ethnic minority spread across Israel, Syria, and Lebanon.
They have a deep tradition of loyalty to the countries in which they live.
In Israel, I have had the privilege of serving alongside Druze soldiers throughout my army service.
Many of them are some of the strongest, proudest, and most loyal fighters I have ever met.

The Druze also have a tradition connecting themselves to Yitro, Jethro, Moshe’s father-in-law.
Whether you understand that as history, faith, identity, or symbolism, there is something deeply moving about it.

Today, we traveled through Druze villages in Syria. We met people.
We spoke with them. We drank coffee with them.
And what I felt more than anything was gratitude.

They brought us fresh baklava, strong black coffee, sweet apricots, sour cherries, smiles, handshakes, and hugs.
There was a feeling that they knew exactly why we were there and that our presence was significant for them.

Maybe this is a continuation of an ancient spiritual bond between the children of Israel and the descendants of Jethro.
Maybe it is simply a defense pact between minorities in a brutal region, where survival often depends on who is willing to stand between you and those who want to wipe you out.

Either way, it was special.

This is a side of Israel, of the IDF, and of service that almost no one sees.
But it exists and it's telling to the true reality of the region.