> Although some Hijri supporters portray ‘Bashan’ as an old historical name for Suwayda, a member of the pro-Hijri ‘Abu Ibrahim Commando Forces’ told Syria in Transition that the name is in fact new in local Druze political discourse, describing the shift starkly: “We were Syrians some time ago, and we have now become Bashan Mountain.”
Something very similar happened with Israeli Druze and their adoption of an identity based on descent from Jethro after 1948. The esoteric nature of Druze religion, and perhaps some other cultural features, apparently make it easy for the Druze populous to adopt new political identities at the command of religious leaders.
Jethro is a revered prophet and his maqam ( shrine ) in Hittin has been a Druze pilgrimage site for centuries. The whole Jethro descendant thing is largely romanticization by some Druzeophilic religious Jews, it’s not canon neither in Druze oral nor written history.
That's what I said, no? But I'm interested in how much Israeli Druze really believe it. A lot of Israelis really believe it and get angry when you point out it's ridiculous.
To my understanding, you said it was their [the Druze’s] adoption, I’m arguing that it’s largely a narrative pushed by Israeli Jews, not the Druze themselves. The Druze don’t really believe it, we believe that we came from all nations and backgrounds and joined the da’wah.
> Although some Hijri supporters portray ‘Bashan’ as an old historical name for Suwayda, a member of the pro-Hijri ‘Abu Ibrahim Commando Forces’ told Syria in Transition that the name is in fact new in local Druze political discourse, describing the shift starkly: “We were Syrians some time ago, and we have now become Bashan Mountain.”
Something very similar happened with Israeli Druze and their adoption of an identity based on descent from Jethro after 1948. The esoteric nature of Druze religion, and perhaps some other cultural features, apparently make it easy for the Druze populous to adopt new political identities at the command of religious leaders.
Jethro is a revered prophet and his maqam ( shrine ) in Hittin has been a Druze pilgrimage site for centuries. The whole Jethro descendant thing is largely romanticization by some Druzeophilic religious Jews, it’s not canon neither in Druze oral nor written history.
That's what I said, no? But I'm interested in how much Israeli Druze really believe it. A lot of Israelis really believe it and get angry when you point out it's ridiculous.
To my understanding, you said it was their [the Druze’s] adoption, I’m arguing that it’s largely a narrative pushed by Israeli Jews, not the Druze themselves. The Druze don’t really believe it, we believe that we came from all nations and backgrounds and joined the da’wah.
I stand corrected. I knew it was an Israeli invention, but I thought that Israeli Druze did believe this to some extent.