Avichay Adraee is somewhat famous (or perhaps infamous) in the Arab world. Adraee is the Arabic media spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). First gaining moderate internet celebrity status during the 2008-09 Gaza war, he appears on Al Jazeera and other Arabic media outlets to give the IDF’s perspectives on its conflict with Hamas and the like.
Adraee also posts regular messages on social media to the Muslim and global community on occasions such as the Jewish sabbath, and now Ramadan. As in years past, he released an Arabic language video on June 6th-the first day of Ramadan-to his Facebook page wishing Muslims in Israel and around the world a blessed Islamic holy month. He spoke alongside several Muslim IDF soldiers in the video. And like before, Adraee received mixed and strong reactions from his Facebook followers.
In this year’s production, Adraee asks the soldiers about the month in general, what Ramadan’s like in the army, and even if they’re watching famed Ramadan television series’ over an iftar (meal to break the fast at sundown) dinner and coffee. “All soldiers are fasting” said one soldier smiling. Another claimed to be watching the famous ‘Bab Al-Hara’ show.
Comments ranged from praise to hatred. One comment in Arabic-liked over 200 times-read “the Jews are God-fearing people...and have a historical right to Palestine.”
On the other hand, another comment in Arabic that was liked nearly 100 times read “with each Ramadan may you all be burned,” a play on words of the common Arabic greeting “with each Ramadan may you all be well,” often said on such occasions. Other comments were similarly varied, and included both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian sentiments.
Who is Avichay Adraee?
Little is known about the Arabic face of the IDF, at least in English. An Arabic language article on kolshenews.com says he’s of Syrian-Jewish descent, and that has family immigrated to Israel decades ago. His Wikipedia page only exists in Arabic and Hebrew, with the former containing many more citations. He first appeared widely on social media during the 2008-09 Gaza war between Hamas and the IDF.
In an interview with a college radio station at the IDC Herzliya university in Israel, he said “Ever since I was born I loved Arabic, and lived and dreamed in Arabic while serving in an IDF intelligence unit.”
Muslims and Arabs in the IDF?
Muslims and non-Muslim Arabs in the IDF is nothing new. Over one thousand Muslim Bedouins volunteer to serve in the IDF as of December 2015. Druze citizens of Israel-like most Israeli Jews-are required to serve, although there’s a growing movement of conscientious objectors in the Druze community. There’s a growing number of Arab Christians serving as well, but the total numbers remain small.
--AL
