Israeli Druze to challenge ‘Jewish-state’ law

By Osama al-Ghassani

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Druze Members of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) announced that they will lodge an appeal against a recent law recognizing Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish people”.

Approved by Knesset on Thursday, the legislation also states that a “united Jerusalem” is the capital of Israel and that Hebrew is the country's official language, stripping Arabic of its earlier designation as an official language while recognizing its “special status.”

According to Maariv daily on Sunday, three MKs have decided to object the controversial law at the Supreme Court.

“I have no problem with the Jews and the fact that Israel is the state of the Jews,” MK Akram Hasson from Kulanu Party told Maariv.

He went on asking:" What about the Druze, who sacrificed and fought for Israel's sake, 240 of whom were killed and more than 1,200 injured during their service in the army?"

The Druze community has been living in northern Israel since 1948 and serve in the obligatory service of the Israeli army and consider themselves Israelis above all else. Exception to that is the Druze of Syrian Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in 1967, which remained bound to their Arab identity.