Lebanon's Druze leader urges Israeli Druze not to serve in IDF
Walid Jumblatt: Service as Israel's 'border guards' clashes with Druze membership in the Arab nation.
By Jack Khoury Tags: Israel Druze Lebanon Israel newsLebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt urged Israeli Druze Tuesday not to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, saying such service clashes with Druze membership in the Arab nation.
Speaking to Nazareth-based Radio A-Shams, Jumblatt said that all Druze are Arabs who follow the Druze religion, and thus ties between Druze in different countries and between Druze and other Arabs were only natural.
The Druze leader, who was visiting Cyprus, met recently with a delegation of Israeli Druze dignitaries led by MK Said Naffaa (Balad) and clergymen from Mount Carmel and the Galilee. He said his ties with Israeli Druze began in Amman in 2001 and have been developing ever since.
Jumblatt noted that there was an increasing awareness of such ties among young Druze in Israel and said that many of them were already refusing to join the military. "The fact that the number of Druze avoiding military service has risen from 5 percent to almost 60 percent is proof enough of the importance of this connection," he said.
The percentage of Druze that join the military has long been contested by both sides of the ideological debate. At a conference in the Druze village of Julis attended by then-prime minister Ehud Olmert, Dr. Yussuf Hassan of Tel Aviv University presented a survey stating that 94 percent of Israeli Druze see Israeliness as an important part of their identity. IDF Col. Ramez a-Din told the conference that 83 percent of young Druze join the military, compared to only 72 percent of Jewish youths.
Jumblatt rejected criticism that he was intervening in another community's internal affairs. "There were voices that I can only describe as primitive who attacked our initiative, but we've proven that maintaining this relationship strengthens the Arab Palestinian identity of community members in Israel, and especially the young," he said. "The rising numbers of conscientious objectors show the Druze will no longer be border guards for the State of Israel."
Jumblatt, who in recent years has opposed Syria's involvement in Lebanon, said he did not rule out visiting Damascus, especially after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri's visit there earlier this month. He stressed that Hariri visited Damascus as prime minister of a national unity government, not as a private individual or as head of a particular party.
Hariri's father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in Beirut in 2005. The event provoked popular unrest that led to Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon.
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OOPS I meant Lebanon ,not Jordan. There are Druze in Syria and Jordan as well. Druze in israel are good loyal citizens and well regarded
We all serve in the same army same units etc. Sorry MR Jumblatt you have no say in the matter!!!
I am a Druze and served with Golani!!! Piss off MR Jumblatt
"If Druse do not want to serve their nation Israel then they are more then welcome to go move to a Arab nation (except they are unwanted)." - 7 Would you say the same to Jewish youths that don't want to serve?
My many Druze friends in the Galilee could care less what Jumblatt or others have to say about their Israeliness. They are as Israeli as any Jews and would not want it any other way. Their service to the state is incredible and their presence cherished by anyone who knows them.
Mr. Jumblat of the Druz in lebanon is terrified by the syrian and huzbuz threats. His father which was assasinated by syrians knew what is right and wrong. Mr. jumblat is trying to stay alive by chosing to be part of anti Israel group. The Druz of Israel are Israelli citizens and they love Israel as always did. This is another psychological bomb directed to the Israelli citizens. Israel must be aware of these attempts to break social harmony in Israelli societies and provide the intelligence to the groups, in this case to the Druz. We should remember that the arabs killed and massacered the Druz many years ago, why is it now that the arabs are in love with the druz? Any drurzi should know the fact that the arabs will kill them all when and if they have the chance. The safest country for the druz in the world remains Israel who loves and respects them all. Jumblat is wrong to address the Druz in such manner. Jumblat has to speak the truth.
I had the great honor to serve together with Druze Soldiers from "299" for several years in Gush Katif during the last Intifada. These are the finest and best Soldiers in the IDF.
Waleed Jumblat speaks as political, one day says Druze Arabs another time he says something else.How it suits his interests. Another important Druze in Lebanon, Prof.Dr.Anwar abi Khzam teaches in Lebanese university in Beirut says the Druze are originally part of the lost tribes of Israel. I believe this historian Druze and I do not believe Waleed Jonblat the politician. We suffered sufficient from the Muslim Arabs before 1948,here we are Israelis,one with the Jewish people, and we shall continue to be so,I ask Jumblat not to meddle with the Druze affairs in Israel. Druze, NOT arab
you should know that the Army trackers are Bedouin, who learn these skills from their fathers. Druze don't know tracking any more than anyone else. And the Druze in the Galilee don't "go with the flow" but have been loyal friends to Israel from the beginning. And they certainly serve as higher officers-there was just a Druze general that got into trouble for letting his wife use his official car. You may be from "here" but you sure don't get out much, it seems.
I'm surprised to know there are large areas of Druze in Jordan. 17,000 in total and all of those in the north, straddling the Syrian border, with the large majority in Syria.
I see the Druze and Ethiopians with all the bum jobs. How many Druze senior officers in the IDF?
Mr Pal Brit. please back up your assertion that Druze soldiers are "used as cannon fodder by the IDF. Where is the data that mortality and wounded rates for Druze soldiers are higher than Jewish soldiers serving in similar operations?
does not speak for Israeli Druze. Muslims in Jordan dare not attack large areas of Jordan under Druze contol. I suspect his comment reflects current reality as Lebanon falling again under Syria control but having small influence in Druze area
who is strongly supported by the Druze of Lebanon, due to his protective leadership and generous support to the Druze community. It is rather the failure of the IDF to end or wipe off the present threats on its northern borders, that is highly embarrassing!!
Mr Jumblatt, you could rather bring Israeli and Lebanese Druze together as a bridge of peace between the countries; instead you choose to hurt the Israeli Druze in order to selfishly feed your own ego.
The Druze in the Golan strongly oppose the annexation of their land and are staunchly Syrian. The Israeli Druze have been a different kettle of fish. They are known to "go with the flow" and side with whoever is in control. They treat Arabs badly on checkpoints and are used as bullet-fodder by the Israeli army - politely described as trackers I believe!
Druse have been persecuted, harassed, attacked and discriminated against by Arabs for centuries while they have prospered under Jews and this is the reward Jews get for their kindness. If Druse do not want to serve their nation Israel then they are more then welcome to go move to a Arab nation (except they are unwanted).
That's true to about the same extent that Jews are Arabs who practice Judaism.
I did not know that druze are arabs. Not that I care about it - they are all relatives of jews.
Though Mr. Jumblatt is a Druze he forgot that the Druze are loyal to the country in which they reside
Jumblatt is embarassed that the Israeli Druze are patriotic.
We don't need to follow the great example of Lebanon in Israel.
armed services? They are involved with Arabs in conflict. Who isn't?