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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Friday with Israeli Druze leaders, who asked him to change the law of the nation-state. Netanyahu gave no commitment, saying that he would consult on it.
Sheikh Muwafak Tarif, spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, met Netanyahu alongside Communications Minister Ayoub Kara (Likud) from the Druze community in Jerusalem. Senior officers of the Israeli army, also Druze, were also present.
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The Druze leader asked Netanyahu to amend the recently pbaded nation-state law, which baderted that only Jews have the right to self-determination in Israel. The Druze leader has demanded that the status of the Druze community be fixed and constitutionalized, and that equal rights be granted to all citizens in accordance with the declaration of independence of Israel. The Druze invited the prime minister to meet Druze leaders in Israel's Druze communities and told him that they "trusted his leaders."
Netanyahu promised to continue his consultations on the issue and meet with Druze municipal leaders next week to discuss the issue. The prime minister also said that he would set up a task force, led by his chief of staff, Yoav Horowitz, to review the sheikh's demands.
"The goal is to arrive at a quick and acceptable solution that expresses Israel's gratitude for the unique partnership with the Druze community," said the statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
According to a statement by Netanyahu on Thursday, the government should not make any changes to the nation-state law despite continued protests against legislation by the Druze community. Instead, a plan will be developed that "reflects Israel's deep commitment to the Druze community".
The nation-state law is designed to modify the application of the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty in court decisions, and allow judges to give priority to Jewish character of Israel in their decisions.
On Sunday, Druze lawmakers were the first to petition the High Court of Justice against the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People. A hundred Israeli Druze Defense Forces reserve officers added their voices to this effort on Wednesday, prompting Education Minister Naftali Bennett to speak out in favor of "our blood brothers" on Twitter.
The Druze are a unique religious and ethnic group that detached from Shiite Islam in the 11th century. There are about 1.5 million Druze in the world, living mainly in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan.
Unlike other Arab citizens, Druze men are subject to the army project and community soldiers have long been revered for their distinguished service.
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