Members of Israel's Druze minority are calling on the international community to help their brethren in Syria, after dozens of Druze were massacred by extremists there. Hundreds of Druze demonstrated Sunday in the villages of Yarka and Mas'ade in northern Israel. At least 20 Druze were killed by members of the Nusra Front in the Syrian province of Idlib last week. The spiritual leader of the Druze in Israel, Sheikh Mowafk Tarif, told media outlets on Sunday he fears for Syria's Druze with the Islamic State and other extremists in their vicinity, and called for international help to protect them. The Druze, an offshoot of Islam with many members living in Syria, live in harmony with Israel's Jewish majority. Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) said Sunday Israel would do everything it could to help the Druze, but it would not intervene at the moment in "the internal conflicts in Syria." An unnamed senior Israeli official said Sunday that Israel was not planning to take in refugees from Syria. The official said Israel's consistent policy has been to stay out of the civil war in Syria and not support any group. Israel does, however, provide medical care to wounded individuals who arrive at the Israel Defense Forces field hospital that has been set up on the Israel-Syria border in the Golan Heights. Meanwhile, Hadash, one of four parties comprising the Joint Arab List, accused Israel of working with the Nusra Front. "Cooperation between Israel and the Nusra Front is indicative of the partnership between them and American imperialism in a plan to break up Syria and divide the Syrian people," the Hadash statement said. Hadash also asserted Israel had a "blood covenant" with Islamic State.
Israel's Druze call for world to help their sect in Syria
Hundreds of Druze march in northern Israeli villages of Yarka and Mas'ade to bring attention to plight of their brethren in Syria • Deputy FM Tzipi Hotovely: Israel will do everything it can to help Druze, but it will not intervene in Syrian civil war.
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