The first Druze member of Israel’s top special forces unit died in a training accident.
Sgt. Tami Nabuani, 19, fell to his death from a cliff Tuesday during a navigation exercise on the last leg of his training for the Sayeret Matkal commando regiment.
Sayeret Matkal is Israel’s most elite and secretive military unit, requiring that its members undergo rigorous background checks and qualifying exams. Nabuani was the first Druze to be accepted; his family and friends only found out about the honor after his death.
The Druze are a small Arab sect spread throughout the Middle East. In Israel, the Druze are generally loyal to the Zionist movement and often distinguish themselves in the armed forces.
