Number of Druze Applying for Israeli Citizenship at Historic High

Druze community plants trees for fallen soldiers (YouTube screenshot) (YouTube screenshot)

The number of Druze who are Israeli citizens is at 20%, double the number at the beginning of the 21st century.

By Shula Rosen

In the past year, the number of Druze in Israel applying for Israeli citizenship has increased to unprecedented levels.

Within the context of increased solidarity with Israel during the war with Hamas and Hezbollah and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, more Druze are applying to become Israeli citizens.

According to data collected by Shomrim, the number of Druze in the Golan Heights who are Israeli citizens is at 20%, double the number at the beginning of the 21st century.

The Population and Immigration Authority statistics show that over the last three years, Israel apprroved 1,126 citizenship requests from Druze in the Golan Heights compared to 539 between 2017 and 2021.

Most of the Druze in Israel live in villages in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured during the 1967 War. Many also live around Mount Carmel, south of Haifa, and that community has been proudly loyal to Israel, with most of the young men serving in the IDF.

When the Golan Heights was annexed in 1981, Israel offered citizenship to the Druze residents, but at that time, only a few applied.

Israeli citizenship in the Druze community was once a controversial issue, with some boycotts organized against those who became Israelis.

Although the taboo is fading, there is still secrecy surrounding the issue of Israeli citizenship among some Druze.

The war between Israel and Hezbollah has been a strong motivating factor among many Druze, particularly after the Lebanese terror group launched a missile that killed 12 children playing football in the Druze community of Majdal Shams.

The Druze in Israel, many of whom were fiercely loyal to the Assad regime, are seeking Israeli citizenship after it has become clear that Syria is unlikely to regain control of the Golan Heights, particularly after the fall of Assad.

Dr. Yusri Hazran, a research fellow and senior lecturer at Shalem College, told Times of Israel, “The Druze see their mother country disintegrating with the fall of the Assad regime and they are looking for an anchor.”

He continued, “I believe that the upward trend in citizenship requests will continue. I can’t think of anything that would change the graph in the coming years. On the contrary, I estimate that a further increase is expected.”