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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Israel
Index
The case of the Druzes is a special one. The Druzes belong to
an eleventh century offshoot of
Shia (see Glossary) Islam, which
originated in Egypt. They soon migrated northward, settling first
along the western slopes of Mount Hermon, and thence westward into
the Shuf Mountains of Lebanon, south to Galilee and Mount Carmel,
and east into Syria. In 1988 there were approximately 318,000
Druzes in Syria and 182,000 in Lebanon. Including the Druze
population of the Golan Heights, annexed by Israel in December
1981, there were about 72,000 Druzes in Israel. This number
represented a large increase from the 1948 population of about
13,000. Besides the Golan Heights, in the late 1980s Druzes lived
in seventeen villages in Galilee and around Mount Carmel. Of these,
nine were all Druze and the rest mixed, mostly with Christian
Arabs. Less than 10 percent of Druzes in Israel lived in
cities--compared to more than 60 percent of Christians.
The Druze religion is known mainly for being shrouded in
secrecy, even from large groups of Druzes themselves, the
juhhal, uninitiated or "ignorant ones." The uqqal,
the "wise," or initiated, undergo periods of initiation, each
signaling an increased mastery of the mysteries of the faith.
Although there is a formal separation between religious and
political leadership, the wise ones (particularly the
ajawid, or excellent, among them) have traditionally wielded
considerable political influence. The religion is fiercely
monotheistic and includes an elaborate doctrine of the
reincarnation and transmigration of souls. It shares with Shia
Islam the doctrine of practicing taqiya, the art of
dissimulation in hostile environments. In the past this practice
meant seeming to worship in the manner of the conqueror or dominant
group, without apostasy. In more recent times, some observers note,
it has meant being loyal to the state in which they reside,
including serving in its army.
Because the Druze religion was considered schismatic to Islam,
even to Shia Islam, Druzes occasionally suffered discrimination and
persecution at the hands of Muslims and, like other Middle Eastern
dissidents, inhabited marginal or easily defensible areas: mountain
slopes and intermontane valleys. Because the Druzes have long
enjoyed a reputation for military prowess and good soldiery, they
have often not suffered discrimination or persecutions lightly or
without responding in kind. Whether because of the desire to settle
old scores, or because the doctrine of taqiya can be
stretched in this direction, Druzes have been remarkable in being
a non-Jewish, Arabic-speaking group that has supported the Jewish
state, both in the late Mandate period and since Israel's
independence through service of Druze young men in the IDF and the
paramilitary Border Police. About 175 Druzes have been killed in
action, including a large proportion of that number in the 1982
invasion of Lebanon.
Jewish Israelis have recognized this service and sought to
reward it. Druze villages had military supervision and restrictions
lifted from them about four years before other Arab areas. Since
1977 there has been a Druze member of the Knesset from the
right-of-center Likud, and under Labor they have served in highly
visible positions such as that of presidential adviser on minority
affairs and, at one time, the Israeli consul in New York City. In
1962 Israeli authorities recognized "Druze" as a separate
nationality on internal identification cards--previously Druzes
were differentiated only under dat, religion; their
nationality was Arab. Although authorities assured Druzes that
recognition as a separate nationality would enhance their most
favored status, some analysts and younger Druzes have viewed the
identification as an attempt to drive a wedge between them and
other Arabs.
Many among the younger generation of Druzes have been partly
radicalized in their politics--for a number of reasons. First, the
favored status accorded the Druzes has not significantly helped
them materially. Druzes have been among the least affluent of all
groups in Israel, the number receiving higher education has been
low, and few Druzes could be found in top professional or technical
positions. Even those who have made the army their career have
complained of severe limitations in promotions. Second, Israeli
actions against Druzes in the occupied and then annexed Golan
Heights troubled their coreligionists in Israel. Particularly
troublesome was the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. During this invasion,
Israeli soldiers, as allies of the Lebanese Christians, were
opposed by Druzes of the Shuf Mountains. Pitched battles or
military encounters between the IDF and the Lebanese Druzes were
avoided. Nevertheless, the Lebanese Christian Maronites have been
among the Druzes' most bitter enemies, and many Druzes serving in
the IDF were killed or wounded in Lebanon. This was a particularly
difficult time for Jewish-Druze relations, one from which they had
not fully recovered in 1988.
Data as of December 1988
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