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A Generation Gap Emerges among Golan Druze

(Ha'aretz) Ari Plachta - The Druze residents of four villages on the Golan Heights held firmly onto their Syrian identity following Israel's annexation of the territory in 1981. Syrian flags are still flown proudly on Golan rooftops, but a generation gap has emerged as younger Druze spread their wings in Israeli society. Out of 26,500 residents, nearly 5,500 have applied for and received Israeli citizenship. Candy salesman Adham Pharhat in Buq'ata says, "What more can I ask for? I'm in my thirties - I have security, money, social services, education. In Syria? You can forget about it. I'm proud to be part of Israel." Still, he won't be applying for citizenship anytime soon, for a reason expressed by many: "It's disrespectful to the older generation." Faris, an elder Druze from Mijdal Shames, said, "Of course I'm concerned young people don't have a connection to Syria - or what's left of it. It's a sad situation we have here. The young people, they couldn't care less." Shefaa Abu Jabal, who lives in Haifa and works at an Israeli human rights organization, said, "The older generation is Syrian, and they know it. But 2011 [the outbreak of the Syrian civil war] was the year my generation was forced to really ask what we think and feel about Syria. Do I want to be Syrian or Israeli?...For Israel, the Syrian revolution was a gift. By saying, 'Look what we give you here in Israel and look what's happening over there in Syria,' young people aren't afraid to praise Israel and consider citizenship."
2017-09-29 00:00:00
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