President Rivlin meets Druze leaders

Druze community leaders met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Sunday to reiterate their position on the Nationality Law
which they describe as discriminatory.

The Nationality Law states that the state of Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people and that Hebrew is the official language of the state. Arabic has been defined as having a special status, the official use of Arabic to be determined by separate legislation.

The leaders of the Druze community had asked to meet the president after their meeting
with Prime Minister Netanyahu on Friday.

at the residence of the president and reiterated his support for the community.

"The partnership between us is rooted in the founding of this country, which is the basis, to live in cooperation, in the country we have established … in partnership with all who live in this good country, which is good for everyone and we can keep this equation without problems.

"I clarified my position at the last round of Knesset discussions, when I sent a letter to express my opinion on the subject … I have no doubt that you are equal from a legal point of view and we "1965-19003

The President of the Forum of Druze and Circbadian Authorities and President of the Council Horfeish, Mufid Mar, said to the president at the meeting: "What should you do? hurts the Jews hurts the Druze, and what hurts the Druze hurts the Jews. We feel the embrace and the connection. "

Daliyat al-Karmel Regional Council Chairman Rafik Halabi said after the meeting that the Druze community could not live in a country that is blatantly discriminating against them.

19659003]" We have expressed our concerns about the law, which we consider to be discriminatory, which does not recognize our citizenship, our sense of belonging and we have clearly stated (to the President) that we want equality for all. not to live in a country where a large part of the population, which is loyal to that country, feels excluded, "said Halabi.

] Halabi say that feeling above the law is shared by other Arab speaking communities.

"We have come to you to express our pain and distress, which is felt not only by the heads of local councils, not only by officers and religious leaders, but by the entire Arab and Circbadian population in Israel. There are professors, hospital managers … what would you say to them, that they are not citizens, that they are not equal, that the basic legislation should be in place? to apply to everyone, not just the majority?

The President listened to the arguments and promised to do everything in his power to make the feelings of the community known to the proper authorities.

"This partnership and this sense of partnership are part of our souls, "the president said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Mowafak Tariff at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem in order to e bridge the gap between the Druze community and the state of Israel surrounding the law on nationality.

D & # Other members of the Druze community were also present at the meeting, including Brig. Gen. (res.) Amal Asad, former Labor MP Shachiv Shnaan and Minister of Communications Ayoob Kara (Likud).

No agreement was reached on amendments to the nationality law, according to the Prime Minister's Office. Netanyahu and Minister Yariv Levin, who spearheaded the legislative process, do not think it is right to open the law right now and make changes to it.

Instead, Netanyahu and other officials discussed the possibility of adding to a law pbaded in May that fixes a day in the official national calendar of the state of Israel celebrating the Druze community and its contribution to the country

The coalition could propose new legislation to establish the status of the Druze community in the state of Israel.

In addition, the government will consider promoting legislation to give preference to Druze who serve or serve in the Israeli army.