Sheikh Tarif heaped praise on Netanyahu – and was forced to clarify: "I do not support any party"

Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community, published a video in which he praised Prime Minister Netanyahu for saving the Druze in Syria. Following criticism within the community, he was forced to issue a clarification stating that his words do not constitute political support.

Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, published a video praising Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his decision to save the Druze in Syria from massacre. In the video, distributed a day after Netanyahu's meeting with community leaders at an election rally in Yirka, Tarif called Netanyahu 'my friend' and praised his 'brave decision.' The publication sparked criticism within the Druze community, as many view the spiritual leadership as a non-partisan body. The head of the Daliat al-Carmel council, Rafik Halabi, called on Tarif to refrain from expressing political support. Following the criticism, Tarif's office issued a clarification emphasizing that his remarks are not new and do not constitute support for any party. The clarification also criticized media outlets that it claimed had distorted the remarks. The article notes that alongside appreciation for Israel's actions in Syria, there remains anger in the community over the Nation-State Law and the Kamnitz Law.