Can Israeli Druze bring about cancellation of Nationality Law?

It certainly seems like Israel is headed toward early elections. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, who resigned Nov. 14, and Education Minister Naftali Bennett were both part of the current right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu, competing over which of them was its most right-wing member. And so, whether or not the current government will be dissolved in the coming months, it would leave a series of controversial laws and initiatives in its wake. What all these laws and initiatives have in common is that they attempt to bolster Israel’s identity as a Jewish state and, ultimately, demand total loyalty from its citizens. Under these circumstances, Judaism and loyalty became the criteria to be eligible for the equal rights of citizenship.

These elections, which will likely take place between March and May 2019, may be the last chance for the Druze community to repeal the odious Nationality Law, which, by its very nature, defines them as second-class citizens. If they fail in this attempt, the law will tarnish the country’s image for all time. That is why, just a few hours after Defense Minister Liberman resigned, Brig. Gen. Amal Assad (res.), a member of the Druze community, told Al-Monitor with complete confidence that “the Nationality Law will be repealed.”

Assad fought in the Battle of the Chinese Farm in Sinai during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. It was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He went on to command Battalion 932 of the Nahal Corps, and was head of the Coordination and Liaison Administration with the Palestinians. After the Nationality Law was passed on July 19, he became a leader of the Druze demonstration in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, using Facebook to denounce Israel as an “apartheid state.” At a meeting planned to reconcile the prime minister with the Druze community on Aug. 2, Netanyahu stormed out simply because Assad was one of the notables in attendance. Assad’s military past, his heroism and his loyalty to the state failed to score him any points with Netanyahu.

Since then, Assad has taken it upon himself to convince Israel’s Jewish citizens that the Nationality Law does not just affect the Druze and other minorities. He insists that it is incumbent upon the Jewish citizens of Israel to stand shoulder to shoulder with the country’s minorities in pressuring Israel’s decision-makers so that “this blotch left by the Netanyahu government be removed.” As he puts it, “We will not allow this issue to come off the agenda in the upcoming elections.”