Officer sacked over Druze claim

Jerusalem - The Israeli army yesterday sacked an officer after she claimed that members of Israel's Arab Druze minority had been…

Jerusalem - The Israeli army yesterday sacked an officer after she claimed that members of Israel's Arab Druze minority had been recruited into the army to keep them out of "terrorism". An army spokesman said that Chief of Staff Amnon Shahak ordered the officer, a major, to be "released" from the army.

The officer made the remark in a lecture to non-commissioned officers on the recruitment of minorities into the standing army, at a base near Tel Aviv last week

Earlier yesterday, President Ezer Weizman of Israel said during a visit to Druze soldiers who were wounded in fighting in Lebanon last week: "I hope that the community won't take this as a spokeswoman for the state of Israel. It's a stupid remark by one person."

--(Reuter)