US embassy cable - 05TELAVIV5375

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 005375 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/01/2015 
TAGS: ECON, PGOV, PREL, IS, ECONOMY AND FINANCE, ISRAELI SOCIETY 
SUBJECT: DRUZE LEADER FROM GALILEE SAYS ECONOMIC AND 
EDUCATION ASSISTANCE NEEDED 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor William Weinstein. Reason: 1.4 (b, d) 
. 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  Unemployment and education are key concerns 
of the Druze community in Northern Israel according to a 
Druze business and community leader.  He indicated that the 
Druze want a successful and strong Israel and have 
contributed by serving in Israel's military which is the only 
significant employer of Druze youth.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Israel's Druze in the Galilee Region 
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2. (C) On August 29, econoff met with Mr. Mohamad Rammal, a 
Druze businessman and community leader from Galilee's Yarka 
village.  Rammal said the Druze population in Israel is 
110,000, spread among 17 villages in Galilee.  He said that 
ten villages are made up of only Druze and that the other 
seven have a complicated mix of Druze and Israeli Arabs. 
Rammal remarked that before the formation of the State of 
Israel, the Druze worked with the Israelis, and that this 
cooperation continued in the form of military service after 
Israel's independence. 
 
3. (C) Rammal emphasized the Druze's historic commitment to 
Israel, noting that in 1956 the community began compulsory 
service in the Israeli military, which continues to this day. 
 He added that the Druze have lost many people defending 
Israel, and that there are presently 2,000 Druze serving in 
the Israeli military.  He said that the Druze have 
demonstrated their commitment to the state, but that the GOI 
has not fulfilled its commitment to the Druze.  He maintained 
that there are no hard feelings towards the defense 
establishment, but said the GOI should extend a helping hand 
to the Druze community as a gesture of good will. 
 
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Rammal: Druze would Like Aid for Economic Development 
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4. (C) Rammal noted that the two major problems in the Druze 
community today are unemployment and a weak educational 
system.  He made clear that assistance for economic 
development and educational advancement were key concerns of 
his community.  Rammal stressed that addressing these two 
problems would allow the Druze to deal with other 
socio-political and economic concerns.  He commented that 
until 1996, the main source of income for the Druze came from 
Druze owned and operated textile factories.  However, after 
1996, Chinese textiles flooded the Israeli market and forced 
many businesses into bankruptcy.  He characterized the period 
after 1996 as one of high unemployment.  Rammal claimed that 
today 35 to 40 percent of Druze in the ten exclusively Druze 
villages are unemployed.  He described the Israeli military 
as a major employer of the Druze. 
 
5. (C) As for education, he commented that Druze children do 
not do well in school and that those who do manage to succeed 
do not receive any financial support from the GOI to continue 
their studies in the nation's colleges and universities. 
Rammal expressed the hope that the GOI would recognize these 
problems and provide some financial assistance.  He further 
asked that the U.S. urge the GOI to use part of any aid money 
the U.S. provides to Israel for Galilee and Negev development 
to help his community. 
 
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KURTZER