Conditional loyalty
The violence in Peki'in is the beginning of the process of Druze extremists imitating the Arab separatists. The Druze extremists are trying to appease their fellow radicals.
By Israel Harel Tags: Israeli Arab Israel Druze Peki'inIn the War of Independence, the Druze first fought against Israel. The battles against them, like that in Ramat Yohanan, were among the most fierce and most bloody. However, when they realized that the young state was heading for victory over the five invading armies and the local Arabs, they followed the traditional Druze survival norm of loyalty transfer. By the end of the war they were fighting alongside the Jews.
When Israel conquered the Golan Heights, and especially after Jews began to settle there, the Druze community there came to the conclusion that Israel would never leave. They decided, as their brothers in Israel did 19 years earlier, to make an alliance with the Jews, and their elders asked for Israeli identity cards.
But a few years later, their survival antenna picked up an unequivocal message: Israel is ready to withdraw from the Golan. The fear that the Syrians would settle the score with those who allied themselves with Israel led them yet again to transfer their loyalty, resulting in the large, sometimes violent rallies of solidarity with Syria.
As long as the Druze antenna perceived that the government was in control of the Galilee, the Druze villages remained calm. This changed once they concluded that Israel had failed - and therefore given up - its goal to establish a Jewish majority in the Galilee, and was incompetent to act against the Arabs' taking over state lands.
Later they noticed that the Jews were also putting up with the various "vision" documents drafted by the Arab community's leaders, spelling out separation from the joint state. The Druze' radical branch became envious of its Arab neighbors, who were exercising independence unhindered by the authorities.
The violence in Peki'in is the beginning of the process of Druze extremists imitating the Arab separatists. After many years of cooperation with Israel, the Druze extremists are trying to appease their fellow radicals.
The complaints against the police, which were broadcast incessantly and which indirectly justify the violence, have proved to those orchestrating the riots that the bait - that the violence was directed against the antenna, i.e. for health reasons - had indeed been swallowed. So much so that one of the significant events in Peki'in has hardly been brought to the public's attention: the rioters burned down one Jewish family's house and wrecked another. The family found refuge with their Druze neighbors, with all the associations and fears that this evoked. Other families fled. The police, which had already left the village, did not heed the pleas of the hiding Jews and refused to reenter ("to avoid inflaming emotions") to extract them.
"We were attacked because we are Jews," said one of those who fled, who requested not to release his name. "I fear the Jewish families will be afraid to return, putting an end to 2,000 years of consecutive Jewish settlement in Peki'in."
The media, which already knew of this event in the morning, left it out of their reports. They also treated the abduction of a policewoman and her release - in exchange for detained rioters - as a marginal event. Instead, they ceaselessly rehash the police response.
A wiser deployment probably would have avoided the shooting. But putting the main emphasis there proves that the media - as well as populistic politicians - have failed to understand the national motives of the Arabs in 2000 and the Druze in 2007. How easy and superficial it is to blame - always and for everything - the government and police, without telling the truth: no amount of benefits, bridging of gaps or providing equal rights can prevent the minorities' national-religious-ideological disengagement from the state.
We wanted to believe that it would be different with the Druze. But they proved in Peki'in that, regrettably, even this community's loyalty is conditional.
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"Grievances" are just an excuse for violence--the Jews had real greivances in Europe and the Islamic world--but never once did they burn down a Christian or Muslim house--not in 2000 yeraws (o9r 1400 yewasrs in the Muslim wolrd) When Israel behaves weakly--the bully mentality of many people comes into play and they stage "uprisings." These "grievances" are the same excuse we hear about when "youth"--mainly Muslims--riot in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and wherever.
For once I agree with Natalie. Israel is for Jews; and Arabs should be encouraged to go into one of 22 other Arab countries. These people need a divorce.
The incident in Peqiin is rather simple to understand. But when an Ubermensch of the Greater Israel Settlers variety tries to understand it, the incident falls into a familiar pattern in his head: No Arab is trustworthy, so better expel everyone of them and let the Ubermenschen rule unhindered. Harel starts with a reasonable premise, time tested and apparently correct: The Druze, which have no state of their own and are a minority everywhere, are loyal to the state they reside in. The Druze of Israel are loyal to Israel, and those of Syria are loyal to Syria. Given this, why understand the Peqiin incident in some nationalistic terms? Is Israel giving up on the Galil? No indication for that whatsoever. It should follow that Druze in the Galil would remain loyal to Israel. But now Harel pulls a fast one; because some Arabs want recognition as a "national" minority (and Israel is not even listening) the Druze become disloyal. There simply seems to be no connection between the initial premise on loyalty and the present behavior. One can look at the Peqiin incident as resulting from high handed behavior of the Israeli police towards a small group with strong loyalty to its members. Had the police behaved as menacingly in Meah Shearim, the resident Ultra Orthodox would have behaved similarly towards the police, not to mentioned behaving in a similar fashion to a settlement of Ubermenschen in Hebron. This is not based on any nationalist or loyalty motive.
If the Druze expect to get the great advantages of living in Israel and acting as spoilt children then they deserve jail sentences.Israel should demand loyalty from its citizens and rioters should receive long long long jail sentences.
The Israeli government is completely without credibility.The promises to the people of Sderot are lame.There has been no attack on Gaza,the power has not been cut and the government is in disarray. The Druze can see this and are frustrated by the situation.Israel needs to show itself as being strong,the Druze will understand this language.
Well said Najeeb.. Ethnicity and religious affiliation are not one and the same thing. The Druze are arabs who follow the druze faith .. But if you have read Harel before you will know that he is a racist, and we should expect no better from him
not to mention the Palestinians. They are a enemies to Israel Harel and must be dealt with, because they are not Jews.
This article talks confusingly about the Druze and their "Arab neighbors", as if the Druze are not Arabs. Since when did the Druze stop being Arabs???!!! The more correct breakdown is Druze, Muslims and Christians on the one hand, and Jews on the other.
Hope this will escalate further, and both fanatic tribes will weaken each other.
If you read the article,it begins with "the Druze first fought against Israel". They allied to Israel not because they loved it,but because they wanted to survive. Now who exactly was disrespectful to whom?
Jumblatt somehow personifies this "loyalty" issue that the Druze have: basically, whatever is in their very own interest. The state can go to hell, as long as the Druze survive. I'm not condemning this thinking, just saying that it's not just an Israeli issue.
Ultimately, Israel has no place for non-Jews. All of Israels laws and policies reflect this fact. The Druze, like the Arab Israelis will have a thousand different reasons (provided by the state) for them to depart their homes and go elsewhere.
The Druze are rebelling because of grievances.Putting them doen "immediately and brutally" will only create a Druze Hezbollah.
Loyalty is a two-way street. Jews have always been disloyal and disrespectful to the Druze. The chickens are coming home to roost. You reap what you sow......etc etc.
We need to mend the fence with the Druze but also be firm: We will not tolerate anti-Jewish attacks and any attempts at them will be put down brutally and immediately.