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Israel
The Druzes
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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