Jumblatt Asks Druze in Occupied Territories not to Serve in the Army

Local edit, 31-12-2009

Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese Druze leader, called on the Druze community in the occupied Palestinian territory, not to serve in the army, for it contradicts with the sect's membership in the Arab nation.

According to what Jumblatt told the Radio A-Shams in Cyprus, the ties between Druze in different countries and between them and other Arabs are natural. Jumblatt has recently met with Druze dignitaries from the occupied territory led by MP Said Naffaa and clergymen from Mount Carmel and Galilee.

Jumblatt noted that his ties with the Druze of the occupied territory began in Amman in 2001 and are developing referring to that many of them are already refusing to join the military, and as he said: "The fact that the number of Druze avoiding military service has risen from 5 percent to almost 60 percent is proof enough of the importance of this connection."

Jumblatt was criticized that he was intervening in another community's internal affairs, yet he dismissed the criticism describing those who criticize as primitive. He also stressed that they have proven that maintaining these relationship strengthens the Arab-Palestinian identity of community members in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the youth, adding that the rising number of conscientious objectors show that Druze will no longer act as border guards.