Druze in the Time of "Inattention": From the Palestinian Plow to the Israeli Gun (Arabic) by Kais M. Firro

Based mainly on Israeli archives, this study covers the Israeli and Zionist plans and policies aimed towards the Druze of Palestine since the thirties of the 20^th century until today. The study traces the Israeli political institution's success in forcing compulsory military conscription over Palestinian Druze, and opposing movements which are still active inside the Palestinian Druze society until today. The study analyzes the effects of the move of Palestinian Druze from working in agriculture to working within Israeli security institutions on the behavior of Druze recruits inside the Zionist state and on some of their leaders who adopt a language similar to that of mercenaries in demanding equal rights treatment from Israel. When it comes to the Druze of Palestine, Zionist studies often ignore the political and intellectual diversity within the Palestinian Druze society towards the Zionist institution, while attempting to portray the Palestinian Druze as a one homogenous body which identifies with the Zionist movement. For example, Israel ignores that Samih Al Qasem, the Palestinian resistance's poet, is indeed one of the many Palestinian Druze who oppose dismantling the Arab identity of the Druze of Palestine.