Why more and more Israeli Druze prefer prison to military service
In the past few years, more Israeli Druze have been refusing to join the Israeli army as part of the compulsory military service, because they now feel more in touch with their Arab and Palestinian roots.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — When Druze Mostafa Zahr ad-Din Saad turned 18, he received a notice for military service in the Israeli army. He refused to serve just like his brother had done a year and a half before and their father many years ago. On April 17, Saad posted on his Facebook page a picture of the letter that he had received informing him that he was exempted from the military service.
He wrote, "Dear extended family and friends, a year ago I promised that I will never replace my violin with a firearm. Today I want to inform you that I was exempted from military service in the Israeli army, which is imposed on Arab Druze." The exemption came after Saad had refused to join the military; to avoid a prison term he had claimed that he was mentally unfit for the military service.
He continued, "Thanks to the only democratic state in the Middle East, I got a certificate saying that I am crazy [and not fit for military service]."
Saad is among the Druze who recently refused to enlist in the Israeli army based on nationalistic and patriotic principles. In the past few years, the number of young Druze refusing to join the army has been increasing. In the past, these cases were not made public, but Saad's brother Omar publicly announced his refusal to serve in the Israeli army in December 2014.
