Ayoob Kara: Abandoned by Druze, rejected by Netanyahu
"There were demonstrations near the house, they threw rocks at my house, two armed Arabs were even found near my house," he told the paper in an interview that was published Thursday.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFAyoub Kara(photo credit: OHAD TZVEIGENBERG/POOL)
Druze politician Ayoob Kara left his position in the government's communications office to join the political landscape, which landed him in a tough spot with his community.According to a report by the Hebrew daily Israel Hayom, a major point of tension was Kara's support of the nation-state law, which upset much of the Druze population."There were demonstrations near the house, they threw rocks at my house, two armed Arabs were even found near my house," he told the paper in an interview that was published Thursday. "They stopped speaking to my children in the street."Kara supported the passage of the law, but foresaw that it would not sit well with the Druze."I told the prime minister that the Druze would not understand the law, or that there would be causes that would prevent them from understanding it, and that's what happened," he told the paper. "The Druze thought that the law robbed them of their citizenship rights."Kara told Israel Hayom that Netanyahu assured him that he would ensure "that there would be utter equality" and that he would be "embracing [the Druze] more than the Jews,” but said that ultimately he was not satisfied with the way that Netanyahu treated him over the course of the primary elections, even though he was Netanyahu's "most faithful man."The paper reported that MKs David Amsalem, David Bitan and Israel Katz presented a challenge for Kara during the last election and that Kara said that the PM did not do enough to support him."Everyone was against me,” Kara said. “As there is reciprocity between partners, so it should go with a friend that you protect. You expect him to protect you. Don't sell your friend, even if he makes 1,000 mistakes."He promised me that I would stay in Likud and said, 'You are to me a symbol and a friend,’” Kara continued in his interview with the paper. “But he was not a friend and did not protect me."This is a historic day for the Stateof Israel, for the Druze, and for...the news that was brought to Jreuzalem emphasized one thing: the state of Israel embraces the loyal Druze...it is not eveident in and of itself, i announce to the ...in order to reach these results, i announce to the sheikh, the religious leaders, that they they will contribute today...we did not think that my brother druzes would think this way,