Last update - 00:00 04/03/2008
PM visits Druze community in Galilee, vows stronger ties
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited on Tuesday a Druze village in the western Galilee, in bid to bolster the community's ties between the community and the government.
Accompanied by numerous government ministries officials, Olmert held a long meeting with Druze and Circassian council heads, led by the community's spiritual leader Sheikh Mwafak Tariff and Deputy Foreign Minister Majali Wahabi.
Olmert heard that according to a recent opinion poll, for 94 percent of Druze citizens Israeliness is a central tenet of their identity. A top Druze IDF officer said that 83 percent of Druze youth join the army, as opposed to a mere 72 percent of Jewish youth.
Olmert said that the Druze community's loyalty to the state is "wonderful and admirable." He added that a change is required in the state's relationship with the community.
The prime minister said he intends to step up the investment of state funds in Druze communities, especially for housing and employment.
He also promised to reduce socio-economic gaps, "because they cannot be justified."