Israel's Nationality Law has elicited an angry reaction from the country's small Druze community, which feels betrayed. The law officially declares Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people and makes Hebrew the sole official language, downgrading Arabic, which had previously also been recognized as an official language. In short, it relegates non-Jews, including the Druze — who serve in the Israeli military and have paid the ultimate price in Israel’s military conflicts and occupation — to being second-class citizens.
Yusri Khaizaran, a lecturer in modern Middle East history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, noted the deep roots of the Druze in the Galilee, in northern Israel/Palestine. “The Druze have been here from more than 1,000 years, and they are an integral part of the cultural community in the Galilee,” he told Al-Monitor. According to the law, the right to self-determination for the Jews applies to the “Land of Israel,” whose borders are undefined.