Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: It's an amazing situation that this government, they are talking and they are not doing anything.
And there is a happened with this government. Something happened from October 7 until today, actually. They are passive, they are not active, they are not loyal for their citizen. They trying to survive for the political reason. And that's not the way. Look, I love my country, I serve my country. I am very honored to be serving the country, but it's not the way to continue. The country will be in disaster if they will continue in the same style.
[00:00:47] Speaker B: Two dramatic assassinations in one day. Twelve children killed by a missile that landed on a soccer field. It has been one intense week here in the Middle east.
Welcome to the Inside scoop, Jerusalem. Let's get right to it.
Welcome back to the Inside scoop at Jerusalem, where time waits for no podcast. I'm telling you, I thought I was gonna start a leisurely season two in September when there's like a natural break in the timeline of the year. It's after the summer and whatever. But instead, this is turning out to be an extremely dramatic and hot summer in so many ways. And we've gotta just get right to it, because this week in the Middle east has been, I said dramatic, I mean, beyond dramatic. We just had in the last couple of hours of this recording even, there were two targeted assassinations, both believed to be attributed to Israel. One Israel claimed credit for, for sure. And the other one is, they haven't said anything yet, but of course, the entire world has, you know, is pointing to Israel. I mean, come on. The leader of Hamas, the political leader of Hamas, Ismail Hania, was assassinated in his hotel room or in his apartment room in Tehran.
While there, he was in Tehran. I think he normally lives in Doha, in Qatar. He was in Tehran for the Swiss swearing in of the new iranian president. Just saw pictures of him from the swearing in ceremony, getting hugs from the new president.
And then a couple hours later, a missile apparently just entered his room, his apartment, his wherever he's staying in Tehran, and killed him. And this was first reported by iranian media. So that is already. I mean, the fact that they even admitted or, you know, were the first ones to come out with it is actually shocking, usually. Like, for instance, what happened a couple hours before. That is the number two of Hezbollah, who is Fuad Shukla. He was assassinated in Beirut in a building that he was in.
The missile went straight into his building as well.
And actually, I read somewhere that he's actually not even the number two, but you could consider him actually the number one. They were saying that he's been around longer than Hassan Nasrallah, who is considered the leader now of Hezbollah. But these two targeted assassinations probably, you know, at least one Israel is claiming credit for, and the other one that's being attributed to Israel means that we are sitting here waiting for what kind of response from two separate terrorist organizations, Hezbollah and Hamas.
From what? What are they gonna do? I mean, everybody has already condemned it. You've got even China and Russia condemning the attack on Chania and, of course, Yemen. And Yemen already is involved in this war anyway, that's been going on since October 7, 2023. So.
So other questions. I mean, we woke up here today in Jerusalem to this news of the second assassination, the one in Tehran. And so while all the analysts are, you know, like, there are some that are, you know, really, like, amazed and excited by this news, but then everybody has to ask, well, but what about the hostages, 115 hostages that are still in Hamas hands in Gaza, and people are asking, what are the consequences going to be for them? Even if there is not a strong attack on Israel or strong response against Israel? They actually have 115 Israelis in Gaza right now. So the question is, what is going to happen there?
So you've got these two targeted assassinations and the one against Hezbollah, against Fuad Shukr. Why did that happen? So he, according to the Israel Defense forces, he is responsible for ordering the missile that killed twelve children playing soccer on Saturday evening. This happened in the druze village of Majd el Shams, which means tower of the sun. It's a village in northern Israel, and it is. It's a Druze, like the people there are Druze. So this has raised the question all around the world. Well, what is Druze? And a very interesting answer. And that's what I have for you in today's, in today's episode. So we've all been lulled in some, to some kind of sense of normalcy. And probably in most areas of the world, they don't realize that there is still a war going on. But this one for sure, this attack that killed the twelve children surely shook everybody up and woke people up.
So today I want to focus on them, and we're going to answer the questions. Who are the Druze people? What do you need to know about this arabic speaking minority here in the jewish state? You know, they serve in the army, but yet they feel still like second class citizens due to the national law. There's this thing called the nation law, and it. And we're going to discuss that, what it is and how it impacts minority groups. And we're going to learn more about this religious, ethnic people that has a very complicated existence here in Israel and in the rest of the Middle east. And upon all of that, they just buried twelve of their children in one town.
So I spoke with Bahij Mansoor, a retired israeli ambassador and the former mayor of Isfiyya, which is a druze village just outside of Haifa. So let's go right to the interview and listen to what Mahej Mansoor has to say.
[00:08:29] Speaker A: If you ask me about the history of the Druze, I can tell you there is no period of times, two period of times. We have the prophets and we have the religion. The prophets running from Jitro, Moses father in law, when he helped Moses to lead the jewish people from Egypt and to bring them to Israel. We have the prophet of Jonathan the Baptist, who was with Jesus. And we have Salman al Pharisee, who was with the prophet Muhammad. All these prophets, actually, they, they the base of the Druze, um, community.
But we thought, I'm talking like a prophet, but I'm not a prophet.
The prophets, they thought that they will help, help the prophet Moses and Jesus and Muhammad to bring the world good. Religion can be acceptable for many people. But after many years, when I'm talking about 1000 years ago, the Druze religion started was in Egypt during the Fatimid regime, who controlled Egypt. That was 11th century, century.
And the ruler was al Hakim Bimrillah. I'm repeating again, al Hakim Bimrillah, who was the ruler. He accepted the religion, the Druze religion, and God gave them to be responsible to spirit this religion for 40 years. Who become to be Druze, will be Druze. He will not. Who, who decided not to be Druze? He will not be able to be a Druze. There is no conversion. There is no convert to our religion. Our religion is secret.
We believe in one God. We are monogamous. We are not allowed to marry more one woman. That's the difference between us and the Muslims or other communities, I don't know. Other communities marry more on women perhaps. In Africa we have a lot of people marry more on women.
We believe in reincarnation. That's the basic of our religion, to believe in reincarnation. And there is a three principle of our religion.
Land, faith and community, family. The three principles, we are behind it. We will fight to implement these things. That's the reason. And of course, you heard yesterday why the Druze in the Golan heights, and especially in Mashdar Shams, is still there and they have a lot of attack. And also Khorfesh and other villages very close to the border. The Druze, they are not leaving their home, they are not leaving their land. They will stay.
Although they have threatened, they have a lot of dangers, will stay their home. For example, when I was in Maya, in Isfia, in the beginning of the war, we prepared Isfiya to absorb, to receive population from Khorfesh here in our village. And we prepared homes, we prepared centers and all the things that we need, we prepared. But the Khorfesh family, they decided not to leave their home because they believe that in their faith, they believe in their land and they believe that they have to protect the family and the way to do it to stay in their home.
That's in general, we are not allowed to drink alcohol, to smoke.
But many Israel, many Jews, they are drinking a lot of alcohol. Myself, I am keeping the tradition. I'm not eating pork, I'm not smoking and I'm not drinking alcohol.
But after we received the our religion in Egypt, actually al Hakim Bamrillah was tough ruler there. And the Egyptian, they are not like him so much. He fled from there and he disappeared. And after he disappeared, the Muslims, they started to persecute us and discriminated us. Why? Because in the. In the faith of the Islam, Muhammad will be the prophet. Muhammad supposed to be the last prophet and the Quran supposed to be the last religion. And when we came with our religion, actually we changed the formula of their beliefs and they started to kill us. That's the reason the most. The older Druze who lived in Egypt fled from Egypt and started to live in through all the Middle east. And we can see a lot of Druze lived in Syria before the civil war. Approximately 800,000 lived in Syria, Druze also in Lebanon, we're talking about 400 half million.
And Jordan we have 30,000. And in Israel include Golan Heights, 156, that's in general. And we can talk about almost 1 million and a half in the Middle east. But we are not talking about the Druze living only in the Middle east. We have in United States. For example, when I was in the United States, I participated in the Druze convention.
And we talk about more than 50,000 lived in United States. And the amazing number that we have in South America, we talking about between quarter of million to half million who live in all the South America. And also we have in Asia many of Druze. How many Druze we have in the world, nobody knows. But as we know, we talking approximately between million and a half or 2 million Druze through all the world. Other numbers, we don't have any idea.
As I told you, the Muslims persecute us, killed many of us. Through all the history, from the 11th century until the british mandate during the Ottoman, during the many rulers that they have been in Palestine and this area, we become a little bit safe. When the british mandate to control this area and the French controlling Lebanon and Syria and also in other places.
That's in general the history. I told you about the numbers, I told you about the religion. Go ahead. If you had a question, go ahead.
[00:15:58] Speaker C: Yeah, no, that's awesome. I also. So I wanted to ask, like you're a retired ambassador for the state of Israel, so why is it. Can you explain why I, the Druze, let's say, in Lebanon and Syria elsewhere are against Israel? But you were an ambassador, you represented.
[00:16:20] Speaker B: The state of Israel.
[00:16:21] Speaker C: So I think just an explanation why the different viewpoints of the same people.
[00:16:27] Speaker A: Okay. As I told you, the basic of our religion, to protect the land, to protect the faith, to protect the family. Were we born, we supposed to implement the three principles. Who lived in Syria, supposed to implement these three important basis or principles. And also Lebanon and Jordan, other places, and especially in Israel. Look, I born in Israel in 1956. My father became to be the first group that joined to the army. The Druze started to volunteer to the IDF before the establishment of the state of Israel in 1936. For example, when the Arab. The palestinian revolution started in 1936, the Druze decided to be with the jewish side. Why? Because of the persecution and discrimination of the Islam. They decided to with the jewish minority. Why? We have a lot of common interests and we decided to be with the Jewish in 1936. Nobody thought that going to be a state of Israel. State of Israel establishment only in 1948. And that's the reason we can say that the Druze started to serve from their principle, from ideology, from their interest to protect their themselves with the jewish people.
The decision to start to serve in the army as a mandatory serving become only in 1956, not in 1940, 819, 48. Until 1956, actually, we served as a volunteers. And during that time, we sacrificed money, soldiers to protect the country, to build the country. And we accomplished a lot in our country. And I tell you, we are very happy to live in Israel, but we have a lot of problem with the government. We don't have problem with the people of the state of Israel. We have a lot of problem that we don't equal our condition like the jewish people. We have the national law we have communist law, all these things bothering us and we demanding the government to change it. For example, many leaders, Israel leaders, yesterday, for example, labor man and other generals, they demanding the government to create a special meeting in the Knesset to cancel the national law. I hope they will hear their demanding and they will do it as soon as possible, because there is no way to continue to be second class like people like me or others who serve in the army and representative of the state of Israel. As a diplomat, there is no to be second class. When I was ambassador in Dominican Republic, actually, I started to publish articles against this law and they told me they going to kick you out from this position. I told them I'll be happy to kick me out from this position for this reason. But nobody, nobody thought to do that. And I continue to be ambassador in the caribbean area.
[00:20:10] Speaker C: So can you explain? Because I bet a lot of people outside of Israel don't know what the national, the nationality law is or the.
And I think, like when you say like, we feel like second class citizens, you know, and then, but Israel says, oh, but, you know, we're a democracy and everybody has freedom here and they talk about equality, but there is a big issue with this. Every, anybody who's not jewish usually says, I feel like a second class citizen. So can you explain the law?
[00:20:44] Speaker A: Look for us the declaration of the independence of the state of Israel. That's supposed to be the constitution of the state of Israel, because in the declaration gave the rights for freedom to practice the religion on all the things what happened in the national law. Actually, they gave the priority, the benefit, all the project, all the new homes, new settlement, only for the jewish people, budgets, other things. Actually, the first line supposed to be the jewish and the second line, the other population. There is no way. There is no way. I'm asking you one question. It can be happened in United States, this law and the jewish people can accept this law, they can be that. Only the Irish, the Christian Irish to be the first priority and the Jewish to be the second priority. And the people who gave all the our duty, there is no way not to give them the full rights. That's the reason, for example, to get a budget.
If you have a budget from the Ministry of Finance, first supposed to be the benefit for the jewish villages and town and the second to be other population. There is no way, if you're talking about democratic country, they're supposed to be equal or the citizen. I'm not talking that, not to give support for the soldiers, to give a support for people who are serving in the army, but there is no way to tell the population. Look, for any decision, the first will be the jewish and the second will be the other population. There is no way. If you are talking about democracy, it's not democracy and we are not accept that.
[00:22:45] Speaker C: Yeah.
Does it actually say in the law that the jewish towns get priority? Or is that just actually what seems to happen?
[00:22:56] Speaker A: No, no, in the, in the law they gave the priority or the law to give them the.
How to say in Hebrew? I forget to say that not Hebrew and not Arabic. I'm trying to remember the sentence in the national law, but they gave to the jewish people the benefit for everything to be first priority in everything. Under that we are not accept that. Look, I don't have problem to support all the settlement in the, in the West bank in every place, but give us the same rights that you giving the Jewish. Look, I am serving in the army, I serve, I served 20 years, I served in the ministry federal affairs, 24 years. It's not giving me the, the full ride that I supposed to take. No, I can't accept it.
[00:24:03] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, that's right.
[00:24:06] Speaker A: Also we have the cabinets law, the domination and destroying houses that we build in our homes, our land, private land. And there is a lot of tools, there is a lot of punishment. And they supposed to stop it because that will be very bad. And the big mistakes that they made it last week that gave Ben, the minister of national security who going to implement this law. How you can accept that that benigveer will implement these things from his ideology? That will be disaster in the state of Israel. What will happen with the image with the state of Israel, with communities, with the national law? The image of Israel was very bad when they talked about the national law. And I was ambassador, I came to the the offices of the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Nait in Jamaica and other places and they asked me one simple question. You are Druze, you trying to deliver the israeli policy and the other side they are punishing you.
It's damaging the image of the state of Israel. And we thinking they supposed to change the policy. This policy is very bad for the state of Israel.
[00:25:38] Speaker C: Do you think that this tragedy that happened in Mash el Shams, do you think that this is going to make a difference in the national approach toward the druze people?
[00:25:52] Speaker A: I will tell you, I'll be honest to you, very close to the event. Everybody remember the Druze, what they, the Druze made it. And after two, three days and you can follow up the condition, everybody will forget that. And that's the problem of this government. Look, the government supposed to decide to help and to give budget for the Druze in the Golan Heights and Carmel and Galilee. And actually prime minister promising for the head of the druze community, Sheikh Mofak tariff and. And the form of the Druze Meyers to give support. But there is no decision.
It's an amazing situation that this government they are talking and they are not doing anything. And there is a happened with this government. Something happened from October 7 until today. Actually they are passive, they are not active, they are not loyal for their citizen. They trying to survive for the political reason and that is not the way. Look, I love my country, I serve my country. I am very honored to be serving the country. But it is not the way to continue. The country will be in disaster if they will continue in the same style.
[00:27:29] Speaker C: Yeah, just switching gears a little bit to outside the country after something that just happened on Saturday. Do you expect from the Druze in Syria and Lebanon and outside the countries that are normally enemies with Israel, do you expect them to have solidarity with you as a people or will they stick with their country?
[00:27:55] Speaker A: It's the situation in Lebanon, for example, the leadership in Lebanon with Walid Jamblatt.
I can't accept his attitude because his attitude, I don't know if he is doing for the Druze interest. I think he is under pressure from Hezbollah. He gets a lot of benefit from Hezbollah. I think Walid Jomblat is supposed to deal with the issue of the Druze in Lebanon, not to intervene in the Druze matters in Israel because our condition, our status, it's our status. And I think we, what we made for the druze community during the civil war in Lebanon, we made a lot for the druze community and also for the Syrian. And actually the Druze leader in Syria condemned the attack of Hezbollah and Majdal Shams. And in Lebanon, Walid decided not to do that because Hezbollah, they said that they are not behind of this attack.
[00:29:15] Speaker C: Right.
So what do you think Israel's response should be to this attack?
[00:29:23] Speaker A: In my opinion that I hope that this tragedy will not happen again. That's the first what I am thinking because it's tragedy to see kids between 15 to ten years.
You can't accept it to see that in any situation.
But on other side, we are the Druze. We are not supposed to be the reason that they will open a huge war against Lebanon and against Iran or others. The decision is supposed to be reaction to hit Hezbollah tragic area, not to, to attack civilian area. But we supposed to find a solution for the problem between Israel and Lebanon. Actually, we have the resolution 1701, the Hezbollah and the government of Lebanon supposed to implement it. That will not be fighters, armed terrorists very close to the israeli border and to give the Israeli to get back to their homes. Look in the two sides in Lebanon side and the israeli side, the civilians suffering so much, and we have to find this solution. A war will not help us. And in my opinion, the Druze in the Golan heights and the Galilee and the Carmel, they are talking that supposed to be reaction, but it's supposed to be in proportion and not to be a huge war because the war will not help the Middle east, will not help the peace process, and also will not help the kidnapped that we have it with Hamas. And that's one reason that we have to find also this problem.
[00:31:28] Speaker C: Yep, a lot of good points there.
Do you have anything else you would like to add, anything? I didn't ask.
[00:31:41] Speaker A: I'm trying to think that first of all, yesterday they asked the, the speaker of the Knesset to hold special meeting to cancel the national law. I think that will be a good step and that will help to create new atmosphere between the Druze and the government of the state of Israel. Not with the people of Israel, because the people of Israel always with the druze community. That's one, the second one. Not to open war. Not to open war because war will not help any process in the future.
And I hope that the government will help the druze community to create good citizens and to continue to be equal for every Israeli who lived in the state of Israel.
[00:32:41] Speaker C: Retired Ambassador Bahish Mansour, this was really enlightening.
[00:32:46] Speaker B: Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for tuning in today. I really believe it's so important to understand the complexities here in the Middle east and all the different people groups, especially as the times get way more complicated. So if you want more inside scoops like this from Jerusalem, please subscribe to this channel. Please give us a like and share with your friends.
Thank you so much for tuning in. And as always, this is the inside scoop. Jerusalem.
