About the Israeli-Druze Center
About the Israeli Druze Center
The Israeli Druze Center was established in 2018 by Dr. Amir Khnifess, the idea’s originator and founder. Dr. Khnifess, who is a political science lecturer and reserve military captain felt the gap between the myth of the Jewish Druze life alliance in Israel and decided that an honest acquaintance should be made, and truly in which the Jews living in Israel will initiate a real and honest acquaintance with the Druze and will not be content with a lifetime alliance for matters of war or culinary.
The purpose of the center:
To promote the Israeli-Druze connection, the diverse and influential aspect, for the benefit of the future of the shared life and the Israeli Druze alliance.
The life alliance of the Druze and the Jews in Israel
The life alliance of the Druze living in Israel with the Jewish society's way of life in the country and its Zionist values, is long-standing and characterized by uncompromising loyalty.
For many years this covenant was called: “Blood Covenant”. However, in recent years, the Druze society has demanded to call this alliance the “covenant of life”, to recognize in its life and the demands of its sons and daughters for egalitarian and fair treatment, a personal and professional perspective appropriate to the reality of our lives and a respectful attitude to their lifestyle and identity.
The covenant of life cannot exist only in times of war and at the same price that the members of the community pay in defenceman in giving their lives for the security of the state and its existence. In this aspect, the burden of proof is in the hands of the Jewish public living in Israel to prove maturity with the Druze community.
In 2019, the Nationality Law was enacted which was a resounding shock for the Druze, which had joined the Kaminitz Law preventing the younger generations from building their homes in their own settlements. These two laws positioned the Druze society as second-class citizens and without rights in their own communities, on their land and as guests within the Jewish society in Israel to which they gave the most valuable element to them.
The Druze society carefully preserves its unique identity and social traditions while being an integral part of life in the State of Israel. At the same time, the younger generations are seeking a diverse and rewarding professional and social horizon for themselves in order to express their skills through professional and personal ambitions in order to build the rest of their lives in the country.
These young generations seek for themselves a connection to contemporary existence in various fields of activity, a meeting with Israeli society at non-military intersections, out of real acquaintances and the removal of barriers and stereotypical perceptions.
This is the real covenant of life: a natural, true and honest acquaintance that respects the other individual in a way of human nature and at eye to eye level.
The Center seeks to refine, promote, and create partnerships and initiatives that will create a respectful and inclusive relationship due to who and what they are: citizens who have the right to equality and respect in their country.
The Center's Staff
Chairman of the Association: Dr. Amir Khnifess
CEO: Gila Livni Zamir
Office Manager: Dana Zidan
Donor of Foreign/International Relations :Sara Saeed
The Centre's Activities:
- The establishment of the Druze Movement for Democracy and Equality (link to the movement’s website)
- The youth movement to change reality (link to website or Facebook)
- Sisters Alliance – meetings of Jewish and Druze women to deepen acquaintance and areas of conversation.
- Promoting the Druze presence in the activities of a joint company. (The Druze, evacuees)
- Promoting relations between the Druze and Diaspora Jewry.
- Panels to promote social and political issues in partnership with public figures from politics, Academia, Army, and Women media and social activists.
(The video from the panel with Naama Lazimi, the conference of civil organizations during war in the Knesset and Brothers in Arms)
- Initiating outreach activities and struggles to promote equal rights for the Druze community (Golan Heights wind turbine struggle and struggles against the coup d’état: the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group.)
- Promotion of community tourism projects
- Promotion of art and culture projects.
- Academic enrichment and life skills for elementary and middle school children: Hebrew and English studies.
Partners: (put logos with a link to each body’s website)
Regional and local councils:
Funds:
Academy factors:
Social organizations:
