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Young Druze seek Israeli citizenship as Syrian crisis worsens
Aine Pennello
Published: 15.08.13, 13:35
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27 Talkbacks for this article
1. Yeah, yeah
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.15.13)
With the turmoil in Syria, all of a sudden Druze sitters-on-the-fence are making up their minds. I say -- let them go study in Syria. Israel is not looking for citizens-of-convenience, and these Druze could have applied for Israeli citizenship at any time. Turn them down. Their loyalty is to themselves; not to Israel. We are not interested in citizens of convenience.
2. Israel's Druze serve in the IDF. Will they?
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (08.15.13)
Israel's Druze are required to serve in the IDF, just as Israel's Jews are. That's an obligation they took on years ago. That issue and the loyalty question may explain why so few have thus far been granted citizenship.
3. #1
Naftush ,   Israel   (08.15.13)
The Druze are complicated. Their historical modus operandi traces to that of the biblical Kenites; study the famous story in Judges (Sisera and Yael). They've used it to survive for centuries. They deserve better than the kick in the face that you gave them.
4. To: No. 3
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.15.13)
Do you remember what happened to Sisera? I do. Do you think he deserved better? I don't.
5. The Israeli Druzes are loyal to the State
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (08.15.13)
They serve in the IDF to help defend our country . We don't need such hetefull reactions from a so called [ or better self proclaimed lawyer ] The Druze community desxerves to be respected , even those who didn't apply for Israeli citizenship . And , at least they live FULL time in Israel . We are still waiting for an answer for this UN resolution .
6. #4 : Yael was a Kenite...
Ezra ,   Canada   (08.15.13)
... and Sisera a Canaanite. Thanks for checking your Tanakh before writing down your comments.
7. Sarah #1 - the part time Israeli...
A Jerusalemite ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (08.15.13)
IF you have citizenship here, then you still give a good deal less to the State than does the Druze community! They serve in the Army, they pay their taxes and they are good full time citizens. Stay in the US dear - it suits you better.
8. From what i understand Israeli Druze are
Rod ,   Fargo N.Dakota   (08.15.13)
are loyal to Israel.The Druze on the Golan Heights are loyal to Syria.Thats how they survived which ever country they live in that's where their loyalty lies.The Druse of the Golan are loyal to Syria
9. to charles 5
shimon ,   Poleg   (08.15.13)
Israeli Jews from the Carmel and Galil are as Israeli as you and I are I served in a Druze unit during my sedir service. that being said the Druze of the Golan are in the vast majority of cases not loyal Israeli citizens at all in fact they are normally quite the opposite. The fact a trickle of them are choosing to become Israeli is excellent news
10. A DISASTROUS SITUATION !
FO ,   Belgium   (08.15.13)
I read in this article: "Dr. Kedar who said more (Druze) Israeli citizenship holders in the Golan Heights could help Israel’s claim to the territory". This honorable lecturer at Bar-Ilan University still doesn't realize that the Golan Heights NEVER were part of Syria but part of the Jewish National Home. Excerpts from "A Special Report Prepared for the U.S. Center for Security Policy" (Not Israeli, as you see, but American!) by a teal of 11 experts, including Eugene Rostow, Under Secretary of State, and author of U.N. Resolution 242. I quote; "The Golan Heights were illegally given away to the French Mandate of Syria on March 1923. This territorial transfer was made surreptitiously in a capricious and arbitrary fashion by the British (my remark: by violating Article 5 of the Mandate for Palestine) whose sole interest was to secure Mosul's oil fields to Iraq... A Mandate is a Trust, according to ART. 80 of the UN Charter. Israel's decision to impose its Laws on the Golan Heights on December 14, 1981, had eventually, RIGHTED the WRONG that was committed by the British in March 1923. Syria cannot make a standing claim in an International Court of Law as Syria was not an Independent Country then, but was in its formative years under the French Mandate. The Golan Heights as they are know TODAY were never part of Syrian Real Estate, but part of the Palestine Mandate"... This will also help people to understand that nobody can make a standing claim in an International Court of Law concerning the so-called West Bank because it is and remains an integral part of the Mandate for Palestine, and Never belonged to any other country!
11. I meant Israeli Druze from
about 9 to 5 ,   ShimonPoleg   (08.15.13)
Carmel and Galil
12. Laws of immigration to Israel are out of date.
Michael ,   California, USA   (08.15.13)
If Jews have the "Law of return," why can't Druze people have one also? The whole idea of the Law of return demands scrutiny and re-definition since it is racist and unfair. A "Law of asylum" would make much more sense to me.
13. The core matter is community consensus
italian ,   italy   (08.15.13)
I guess that many forget that in druze culture the least world is the elders'. It was the community that had agreed to extend compulsory service to Druze in Israel, even if, at that time, many were enraged. In Golan Heights the situation is the same. Until the Syria don't explode, the community will marginalize all that are willing to become Israelis. When druze start to be slaughtered, the leader will seal an agreement with israeli authorities, and all Golan Druze will aplly for israeli citizenship.
14. Michael , angry because you were not allowed
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (08.15.13)
to make alyah ? seen all your talk backs you don't deserve to become an Israeli citizen
15. To Michael number 12
shimon ,   Poleg   (08.15.13)
Israel has immigration rules similar to may other countries. Israel has a system similar to many other countries including right of return to certain ethnicities. In Israel there are asylum laws much fairer than yours in the US. I don't see many Eritreans or Sudanese in the US whereas Israel is a safe haven. There are right of return laws in France, Germany, Ireland, Britain, Greece Finland Japan and Poland to name just a few countries who have easier immigration laws for those of certain ethnicity. Do you think these countries are racist? or does your condemnation extend only to Israel and Jews?
16. Shimon , it's what i said for the Israeli Druzes
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (08.15.13)
Those in the Golan will also see that their interests are on the Israeli side , not syrian or any other muslim country
17. what 7 said I agree 100%
(08.15.13)
18. I have Druze friends since my IDF days...
Israel ,   Israel   (08.15.13)
They are loyal citizens of the State. They serve in the army. They pay taxes. They are my friends. I will defend them because they are my fellow citizens and brothers in arms. All of you Americans (Sarah included) who have dared to criticize the Druze or to question their loyalty are way out of line. My best buddy from the Army has a Syrian born Druze mother. She is just as Israeli as my mother. She is a loving and caring person and an excellent listener. I thank G-d for the great honor and pleasure of knowing her and serving with her son. Here's the low down: Druze keep their religion and their national loyalty 100% separate. To be clear any and all Druze who are citizens of Israel are 100% loyal to Israel. So to all of you Americans with less than the right amount of knowledge on this point do me a favor -- go and educate yourselves and stop making ridiculously ignorant comments.
19. To nr 15 shimon - you're absolutely right...
Alexander ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (08.15.13)
...but don't waste your valuable and precious time on Michael from California. He's a political extremist and an anti-Semite - and if he's a Jew, he's a self hating Jew that applies racist and discriminatory double standards to Jews and non-Jews. Non-Jews can obviously have ethnicity based nation states and laws of return based on ethnicity but Jews cannot according to Michael, since he thinks it's "racist". It's only "racist" when Jews have a country based on ethnicity. If non-Jews have several nation states based on ethnicity it's not racist - according to Michael. The very same Michael accused me of being "hateful" because I correctly pointed out to him that the vast majority of the Polish people holds anti-Semitic opinions and that most Poles feel no shame, no regret and no remorse that Jews have been massacred for centuries in Poland. Instead of admitting that Poland owes a huge moral debt to the Jewish people and Israel, Michael suggests that "one needs to learn how to coexist" and that "hatred is not the way". The problem with Michael is that he believes that "forgiveness" and revisionist history, denial of facts and denial of who is a victim and a perpetrator and denial of real historical events, is the path to "forgiveness". Pointing out real historical facts and demanding that the Polish people make amends, compensate the Jewish people and apologize to the Jews, is "hateful" according to Michael. In other words Shimon: I support you all the way, I agree with you 100%, but don't waste your time on Michael. Michael is either an anti-Semitic gentile or a self hating Jew. In either case, he is no friend of the Jewish people and Israel and he speaks of peace, morality and forgiveness, but he discriminates the Jews based on our Jewish ethnicity. So forget about Michael - he's a lost case.
20. Charles, aliya to where?
Michael ,   California, USA   (08.15.13)
Ask some 100,000 Israelis who have taken out passports to the country of their ancestry (and this number is growing daily.) Now go and ask a Druze who desires citizenship rights in Israel where his ancestors can claim 800 and more years of ancestry. By rights of ancestry Druze's desire has more validity than anything you and I can claim.
21. Number 1
Yossi A ,   Raleigh, USA   (08.15.13)
What's wrong with firstly being loyal to oneself? Aren't we all firstly loyal to ourselves and our families? Can you accuse someone of disloyalty only because firstly of being loyal to oneself? Do you know what it is when someone firstly pledges loyalty to the State?
22. Michael . Alyah is only to Israel
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (08.15.13)
Having a second passport makes it easier to travel . An Israeli needs a visa to visit the USA . i , who have an European passport too , don't need it . When i'm visiting Europe i enter thru the Europeans gate , not the Non European where most of the Iswraelis are going . You can't claim the Isaeli citizenship , that's why you hate the Jewish State .
23. To: No. 7
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (08.16.13)
I served in the IDF and while I live in Israel only part time, I assure you that I pay taxes to the State of Israel full-time. Eat your words. B'tayavon.
24. 23 , and we should believe a liar ?
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (08.16.13)
You told us already more than one such untrue facts , about yourself , and in reactions to articles .
25. Thanks No. 18!
Neal ,   Minneapolis USA   (08.19.13)
To the Israeli at post No. 18, my thanks. Although I have been to Israel six times (and hope to go again next year), I do not think I know better than Israelis what's best for Israel. I often am amused and annoyed at Americans (including the naive idiot savants of the U.S. State Department) who think they do. Only Israelis can make life-or-death decisions about themselves and their country. American Jews -- and others outside of Israel -- who would impose upon Israel risks they do not share are welcome to be ignored.
26. Right Move by Druze
Brod ,   USA   (08.19.13)
This will win friends for and strengthen Israel from the mounting upheavals of evil-Islamist-Jihadism in the region.
27. Druze don't have a "peaceful reputation"
Oren ,   Tel Aviv   (08.29.13)
They actually have the reputation of being skilled warriors.
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