Reconsidering the Druze Narrative in the Wake of the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People

Abstract

The assent of Israeli Druze to the Jewish character of the state is based on the premise that citizens who fulfill their duties are entitled to equal rights. Druze narrative traditionally calls on all Arab citizens to do as they do: serve in the IDF, identify as Israelis rather than Palestinians, eschew Palestinian interests, and integrate fully in the Israeli polity. The article argues that the Nation-State Law contradicts the very basis of this narrative. Although the Druze identify as Israelis, the new Law defines Israel as the state of the Jewish people, thus excluding non-Jewish citizens from the nation, regardless of what they may do or say. The inevitable conclusion is that the Israeli Palestinian-Arab narrative is correct in claiming that the Jewishness of the state is an obstacle to equality and inclusion. The article culminates in a possible resolution to this predicament.