DRUZE LEADER FROM GALILEE SAYS ECONOMIC AND

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