Former IDF commander Wajdi Sarhan launches first Druze political party in decades |
Former IDF Druze Battalion commander Col. (res.) Wajdi Sarhan announced the launch of a new Druze political party called Brit Achim, or “Brothers’ Alliance” on Monday, the first independent party representing Israel’s Druze minority in decades.
“No more settling for crumbs. This time, we are asking for everything,” said Sarhan, unveiling the party in the northern Druze-majority town of Maghar before an audience of hundreds of community leaders, religious figures, and reserve officers.
“We are taking responsibility for our future, our land, and our families. For years, we waited for others to take care of us, but today we understand it depends only on us,” he added, explaining that the initiative departs from the longstanding model of Druze politicians running within major parties, which he argued has failed to serve the community’s interests.
The Druze religion was founded in the 10th century as a divergent branch of Islam. About one million Druze are living mostly in Syria and Lebanon, and an estimated 150,000 in Israel.
There are currently only three Druze members of the Knesset: Likud MK Afif Abed, Yisrael Beytenu’s Hamad Amar, and Akram Hasson of Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope faction, which joined Likud last year.
Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot has pledged to place a Druze candidate in a “realistic spot” on his party’s list.
“This is not another attempt to merge with an existing list in exchange for a seat — this is a declaration of an independent political force,” Sarhan said. But he added that the party’s goal is to win around two Knesset seats, indicating he is looking to run jointly with another faction, since the minimum number of seats a party can win in elections is four.
Another aspiration of the party is to serve as a kingmaker in the October elections. Sarhan will head the party, though........