Arabs prefer Israel to some Jews apparently!
As Israel celebrates its 69th year of existing you would think Jews who make up 75% of the country to be happy and Arabs living there to be glum. However fact can sometimes be stranger than fiction as they say and according to a survey conducted by Israel Democracy Institution an independent group in conjunction with Tel Aviv University this is apparently not the case for all Jews and Arabs.
The survey was conducted over the telephone targeting 600 Israelis and asking them various questions regarding Israel. One surprising fact was that many Israeli Arabs were optimistic about living in Israel where as many Jews were of the opposite opinion.
Many Palestinians and Israeli Arabs feel happy that President Trump told Prime Minister Netanyahu when he visited the White House that Israel must pull back on settlements in the West Bank. 60% of Arabs said life in Israel was good with 43.9% of Jews saying the opposite again a surprising result.
Many Jews felt that their leaders did not really take an interest in them as people or their circumstances and the reaction amongst Arabs was mixed. Israel is 75% Jewish and the Arab population is 25% of the countries population made up of Muslim, Christians and Druze.
Israeli Arabs have as much right to live in Israel as do Jews and can elect Arabs to the Israeli Parliament. Jews and Arabs live and work along side each other and despite all the bad publicity there are many Arabs and Jews who are friends. Some Arabs can serve in the Israeli Defence Forces but it is mainly of the Druze religion where this is usually applicable.
You never really hear about the thoughts of Israeli Arabs who have lived there before Israel was founded and continue to live there to this day. You would have thought Arabs would have been very negative about living in Israel but according to this survey some are the opposite.
Bio of the Druze
1) Founded in 10th and 11th Century
2) Incorporate Hindu and Greek philosophy in their belief system
3) Are Arabic speaking
4) In 2012 there were 130,000 Druze in Israel
5) Their founder was Jethro of Midian
6) Split off from Islam although some still regard themselves as Muslims
7) Accept Jesus as a prophet
8) Many Druze self identify as Druze-Israelis
9) They were at the request of their community leaders designated as having special status in Israeli society
10) Many belong to Druze Zionist movements
11) Druze serve in the IDF
12) Druze believe in one God
13) Many have attained top positions in Israeli society
14) Many Druze join Israeli special forces
15) Druze can also be found in Lebanon and Syria
