JEWISH CHRONICLE
He is one of Israel’s top soldiers, but to his friends he is a traitor
by Josh Jackman
March 1, 2016

Israel’s highest-ranking Muslim soldier has described how he endeavours to make his service a source of pride to his father, despite many treating him as a traitor. Growing up in the village of Reineh in the Galilee – where many believe he has betrayed Arab-Israelis – Major Alaa Waheeb said he never imagined he would be part of the Israeli Defence Forces, let alone go on to become its most-decorated Muslim. The major was speaking while in Britain for a tour of communities organised by the grassroots group Zionist Federation. But the soldier, who has served as a platoon commander and was an operations officer in the Gaza brigade during the disengagement in 2005, could not even speak Hebrew until he was 18. READ MORE