Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon expressed outrage at the incident reported in Israeli media that three Druze IDF soldiers were delayed entry to the Dimona nuclear reactor while there Jewish fellow soldiers were admitted.
Israel as a whole takes discrimination very seriously and the IDF has a zero tolerance policy. All IDF soldiers, regardless of religion, including Muslim soldiers, have equal rights and are treated equally in promotion, advancement and training.
"This incident is serious and outrageous and it absolutely contradicts all our policies. It is difficult to stand by and watch such discrimination but this incident will not damage the ties between the State of Israel and the Druze," Ya'alon said.
The Druze officer and two druze soldiers were forced to wait outside the gates of the site while the remaining soldiers were inside."The Druze community are at the heart of the IDF and its contribution is impressive and illustrious," he added.
The incident was revealed on Friday by the Hebrew daily Yediot Aharonot but it took place a number of weeks ago.
After half an hour the soldiers were permitted entry to the highly secure site. The group of air force soldiers was at the reactor for a training exercise.
A father of one of the druze soldiers expressed his anger on Army Radio on Friday.
"This is a humiliation. Everyone arrived and suddenly the Druze soldiers are told you cannot come in," he said.
Following the report, the IDF spokesperson said that the incident would be investigated.
A spokesperson for the nuclear reactor said that entry to the site is contingent on security check and the soldiers in this case were allowed in following this procedure, Army Radio reported.
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