Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned Master Sergeant (Res.) Basil Sweid, a Druze reservist from Peki'in killed during operational activity in southern Lebanon. In a statement released Thursday, Netanyahu hailed Sweid as a courageous reservist who embodied the unbreakable bond between the Druze community and the State of Israel, and sent condolences to his family.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized Master Sergeant (Res.) Basil Sweid on Thursday, releasing an official statement hours after the Druze community leader and Defense Minister had already mourned him. Netanyahu's remarks, published via his office at an unspecified hour, called Sweid 'a courageous reservist' who 'symbolized the unbreakable bond between the Druze community and the State of Israel.' The eulogy is the latest in a sequence of high-profile statements by Israeli leaders honoring Sweid, whose death was first cleared for publication at 09:10 Jerusalem.
Details of Sweid's death emerged gradually through the morning. At 09:10, the IDF cleared his name and unit — a driver in Battalion 75, 7th Armored Brigade — and a preliminary investigation found that a Golani Brigade combat team vehicle overturned near Rav-A-Talatin (Rabb el-Thalathine) around 22:50 on Wednesday night. Subsequent versions confirmed the vehicle was a military fuel truck and that another soldier was moderately wounded. By 09:11, Peki'in council announced a funeral at 17:00 Thursday. Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the Druze spiritual leader, called him 'a hero' in statements at 09:10 and again at 09:29. Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement at 09:10 as well, highlighting his service and the shared destiny between the Druze community and Israel.
The Zioneer earlier reported that Sweid was an administrative operations coordinator at Rambam Hospital. The series of eulogies follows a pattern of senior Israeli leaders publicly honoring fallen soldiers from minority communities during the prolonged northern campaign, as seen in Netanyahu's June 21 eulogy for four other soldiers killed in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu's statement did not address the operational circumstances of Sweid's death.
The IDF continues to investigate the rollover incident. No further details about the cause of the accident or the condition of the wounded soldier have been released beyond initial reports of moderate injuries.
8 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu eulogizes four fallen soldiers killed in southern Lebanon combat
- DevelopingPM Netanyahu: 'Nation's heart aches' after four soldiers killed in Lebanon
- StrongFuneral of reservist Basil Sweid set for 17:00 in Peki'in
- DevelopingNetanyahu sends letter to family of fallen soldier Ohad Yaari
Source and signal
- Internal intake