Majdi Halabi
Encyclopedia
Majdi Halabi alternatively Majdy Halabi or Majdi Halaby, is an Israel
i Druze
soldier from the village of Daliyat al-Karmel
, located on the slopes of Mount Carmel
,
who disappeared on duty near Haifa
in May 2005.
Halabi disappeared on May 24, 2005, aged 19, while attempting to hitchhike from his home town to his Ordnance Corps camp near Tirat Carmel
.
At the time of his disappearance, he had served in the Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) for five months.
The IDF initially considered him to be an absentee,
and so his family learned about his disappearance only when his commanding officer
came to their home to inquire about his whereabouts.
Over the next days, more than one hundred volunteers participated in search efforts in the Mount Carmel area. Halabi was formally declared to be missing in action
(MIA) on June 6.
Compared to captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit
, Halabi's disappearance received relatively little coverage in the Israeli media
.
According to a 2007 article in Israel Today, his case was "all but forgotten" nationally and internationally. In response, on May 24, 2007, the two-year anniversary of Halabi's disappearance, Halabi's family and residents of Carmel City
held a gathering to raise awareness of Halabi's case and call for increased efforts to locate him. Subsequently, the Born to Freedom Foundation offered a reward of USD10,000,000 for information leading to Halabi's location.
In a 2007 interview with The Jerusalem Post
, Halabi's uncle, Samih Halabi, a retired IDF colonel
and chairman of the Campaign to Find Missing Soldier Majdi Halabi, expressed the belief that Halabi had been abducted by an Islamic "terrorist organization" and was "being held in Syria, Lebanon or possibly even in Nablus or Jenin in the West Bank".
On July 2, 2008, Halabi's family received a telephone call from an inmate in Damon Prison who claimed that Halabi had been abducted and was being held in the vicinity of Nablus
in the West Bank
. Police officials maintained that the inmate had "no substantial information" regarding Halabi's disappearance, but the Halabi family disputed this claim.
No group has ever claimed responsibility for Halabi's disappearance.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
soldier from the village of Daliyat al-Karmel
Daliyat al-Karmel
Daliyat al-Karmel is a Druze local council in the North District of Israel, located around 20 km southeast of Haifa.-History:The town was given local council status in 1951. However, in 2003 it was merged with nearby Isfiya to create Carmel City...
, located on the slopes of Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ; , Kármēlos; , Kurmul or جبل مار إلياس Jabal Mar Elyas 'Mount Saint Elias') is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. Archaeologists have discovered ancient wine and oil presses at various locations on Mt. Carmel...
,
who disappeared on duty near Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in May 2005.
Halabi disappeared on May 24, 2005, aged 19, while attempting to hitchhike from his home town to his Ordnance Corps camp near Tirat Carmel
Tirat Carmel
Tirat Carmel , or Tirat HaCarmel, is a city in the Haifa District in Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2007 the city had a total population of 18,700....
.
At the time of his disappearance, he had served in the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) for five months.
The IDF initially considered him to be an absentee,
and so his family learned about his disappearance only when his commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
came to their home to inquire about his whereabouts.
Over the next days, more than one hundred volunteers participated in search efforts in the Mount Carmel area. Halabi was formally declared to be missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
(MIA) on June 6.
Compared to captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
, Halabi's disappearance received relatively little coverage in the Israeli media
Israeli media
-History:The history of the press began in 1863 during the Ottoman Empire and before the creation of Israel, with Ha-Levanon and Havazzelet being the first weekly Hebrew newspapers established. In 1952, the International Publishing Company J-M Ltd was established as the countries first book publisher...
.
According to a 2007 article in Israel Today, his case was "all but forgotten" nationally and internationally. In response, on May 24, 2007, the two-year anniversary of Halabi's disappearance, Halabi's family and residents of Carmel City
Carmel City
Carmel City was a short-lived city in the Haifa District of Israel, named after its location on Mount Carmel. In 2003, the two Druze towns Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya were merged to become one city, initially known as Daliyat al-Karmel-Isfiya, and renamed to Carmel City in 2005.The merger was...
held a gathering to raise awareness of Halabi's case and call for increased efforts to locate him. Subsequently, the Born to Freedom Foundation offered a reward of USD10,000,000 for information leading to Halabi's location.
In a 2007 interview with The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
, Halabi's uncle, Samih Halabi, a retired IDF colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and chairman of the Campaign to Find Missing Soldier Majdi Halabi, expressed the belief that Halabi had been abducted by an Islamic "terrorist organization" and was "being held in Syria, Lebanon or possibly even in Nablus or Jenin in the West Bank".
On July 2, 2008, Halabi's family received a telephone call from an inmate in Damon Prison who claimed that Halabi had been abducted and was being held in the vicinity of Nablus
Nablus
Nablus is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, with a population of 126,132. Located in a strategic position between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, it is the capital of the Nablus Governorate and a Palestinian commercial and cultural center.Founded by the...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Police officials maintained that the inmate had "no substantial information" regarding Halabi's disappearance, but the Halabi family disputed this claim.
No group has ever claimed responsibility for Halabi's disappearance.