Protest on the road
צילום: עידו בקר
Druze protest coming to Tel-Aviv
Druze and Circassian council heads slowly head for Tel-Aviv, demanding government eradicate debt and enable development of industry and public facilities
Druze and Circassian protest heads for Tel-Aviv: A convoy of 150 vehicles carrying protestors left Tuesday at about 9 am the Zichron Yaacov area and slowly made its way to the Tel-Aviv area. Among the protestors were Druze and Circassian council heads from the Carmel and the Galilee, who have been on strike for several weeks in a protest tent in front of the Minister's Office in Jerusalem
The protestors mainly consist of newly elected council heads (elected last November) who are demanding the government write-off the councils' past debts, which amount to approximately NIS 300 million (roughly $77 million). They also demand that the councils be allowed to obtain income aside from property tax, by developing industrial areas and public facilities, currently generating profit for the local Jewish councils alone.
Chairman of the Forum of Heads of Druze and Circassian Local Authorities and Hurfeish council head, Salah Fares, told Ynet that no progress has been made in contacts with various government offices for the purpose of furthering their demands.
He claimed that their demands have yet to be met and while he recognizes the government's desire to help, he found it is not sufficient, in light of the acute foot-dragging within government offices.
Fares stated that the problem exits on two levels, the first being the immediate one, of eradicating debts and deficits, in addition to creating a budget suitable for the councils' needs, while avoiding future deficits. He pointed to problems in their basic functions – salary payments, trash collection etc.
Bigger problems
Fares added that, "In addition, on the wider level, we demand that the minister create a board to address and solve the community's fundamental problems. How will the Druze and Circassian councils find income factors, such as industrial areas, how does one divide designated budgets for education and welfare.
"I believe that with a year's work one can solve the community's material problem, and later on, as a Druze citizen, I could feel as an equal on the civilian level", he stated.
Fares further added, "Currently, equality between Jews and the Druze exists only in the military. But when the Druze soldier returns to his home, I want him to have water in his tap, that he be able to get a plot to build a house on, that I could welcome him with flowers upon his arrival to the city. Some Jewish councils have a gardening budget equal in size to a Druze council's entire budget.
Last week a similar demonstration was held on the way between Akko and Rosh Pina, which caused serious traffic jams.
