Druze Experience Undermines Mansour Abbas's Political Strategy

A recent study day held in the local council of Yarka, in cooperation with the Arab Center for Alternative Planning, highlighted significant issues facing the Druze community in Israel, serving as a cautionary tale for Arab political leaders. The study revealed that approximately 2,162 homes in Druze villages are classified as unlicensed, with 292 of these located in Yarka alone. Residents of these homes face potential demolition orders and substantial fines, potentially reaching 400,000 shekels. Furthermore, an average of 80% of land in Druze villages has been confiscated or acquired by the state or supra-national institutions, severely limiting housing and development.

Despite the state's rhetoric about historical ties with the Druze, these policies have led to overcrowding and a scarcity of land. While the state verbally acknowledges the Druze community and its holidays, it has failed to intervene effectively against organized crime impacting their villages and successful projects. The article criticizes Mansour Abbas and other Arab politicians for not learning from this experience, suggesting they are pursuing a losing political strategy by aligning too closely with the Israeli government.

The author argues that political games are based on power, extortion, and exploitation, and that rights are gained through struggle, not by compromising identity or appealing to the ruling system. The Nation-State Law and the Keminitz Law, for instance, did not consider the historical relationship between the state and the Druze, their sacrifices, or their service in security forces. The Nation-State Law effectively excluded the Druze from the collective "us" that benefits from state privileges.

The article contends that this relationship has led to a historical predicament where the state views the Druze as mercenaries with no other options or as "followers" and "hostages" to be used for state actions like occupation and repression, without guaranteeing them equality. The author criticizes MK Abbas for being disconnected from his constituents and for promoting a failed model, ignoring the reality of discrimination faced by Arabs in Israel.

The piece concludes by asserting that Mansour Abbas's political approach is characterized by empty slogans and delusions, and that the Druze experience demonstrates the failure of his model and illusions, unless he is serving agendas unrelated to his community. The author suggests that the "Joint List" party better represents the narrative of the Arab community in Israel.