In the face of settler colonization and ethnic cleansing, indigenous people have struggled to resist assimilation and attempts to divide and conquer.

As an indigenous minority living under Israeli control, the Druze community has directly been subjected to such attempts including the enforcement of compulsory military in the Israeli army against their own people, a policy that has led to a growing sense of alienation and conflicting narratives.

In this event, two organizers will share their journey as young Druze organizing their community to reject military service and reclaim their history and identity as an integral part of the Palestinian people. Using Public Narrative, the campaign “Urfod [Refuse], your people will protect you”, has worked to challenge conflicting narratives and promote unity and reconciliation in the fight for liberation, often exposing them to violent repression from Israel and pressures from their own community.

The LCN is a non-violent, pro-democracy organization. We believe in the sanctity of all lives, and we believe the loss of all lives is tragic and needs to be avoided at all costs.

Event Information:

  • Type: Campaign showcase
  • Topic: Public Narrative & organizing
  • Cost: Open & Free to everyone
  • Date: November 20th, 2023
  • Time: 10 am ET / 5 pm Palestine / 7:30 IST
  • Location: Online

What you will learn

In this event, you will:

  • Learn about the challenges faced by the Druze community in Israel.
  • Learn about the campaign “Urfod [Refuse], your people will protect you” and its goals.
  • Learn about the importance of Public Narrative in challenging conflicting narratives and promoting unity and reconciliation.
  • Learn about the resilience and courage of parts of the Druze community in their struggle for liberation.

Other events in this series

Questions & answers

The Druze community is estimated to number around one million people worldwide. The majority of Druze live in Lebanon (250,000), Syria (700,000), and what is now known as Israel (120,000). There is also a smaller Druze community in Jordan.

The Druze are a diverse community, but they share a number of common cultural and religious practices. Druze speak Arabic and follow a number of Islamic customs. However, the Druze religion also has a number of unique features, such as its emphasis on Esotericism and its belief in reincarnation.

The Druze community living in Israel faces a number of difficulties, including:

  • Discrimination: Druze are often discriminated against in Israel, both by the government and by individuals. For example, Druze are often denied access to jobs and housing opportunities, and they are often the target of hate crimes.
  • Compulsory military service: Druze men are required to serve in the Israeli military, despite the fact that many Druze object to serving in an army that is occupying their people. Refusing to serve in the Israeli military can result in imprisonment.
  • Land confiscation: The Israeli government has confiscated large amounts of Druze land, often without compensation. This has made it difficult for Druze farmers to make a living, and it has also led to the destruction of Druze villages.
  • Loss of culture: The Israeli government has also tried to assimilate the Druze community into Israeli society. Which lead to a portion of the Druze community to drift away from their Palestinian identity which lead to distance.

Due to Israeli assimilation’s attempts and compulsory military service leading Druze soldiers to be involved in Israeli oppression of Palestinians, Druzes are viewed by a large majority of Palestinians as “traitors”, a narrative that the campaign aims to challenge.

It is a campaign of young Palestinians which aims to abolish military service in the ranks of the Israeli army imposed on young Palestinians of the Druze faith. The movement strives to oppose all forms of conscription and reconsolidate the links between all members of a unique people, fills the gaps and combats attempts at invisibilization as well as the process of methodical annihilation of an identity, which has been practiced since before 1948.

Conscription is compulsory in Israel according to the Military Service Act (Amended Act 1949 in 1986) and applies to any person over eighteen years old, Israeli citizen or resident in Israel. You can therefore be called up for conscription by the Israeli Minister of Security but, following a government decision, this law does not apply in practice to the Arabs who are exempt from compulsory military service with the exception of non-religious Druze Arabs. On May 3, 1956, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion imposed military service on young Druze Arabs. The Druze community protested at the time against this decision. The refusal of conscription imposed by force on young people Palestinian Druze is therefore not new.

Signup

Contact person for this event series

Céline Lebrun Shaath
Céline Lebrun ShaathCommunity of Practice Program Manager

For more information about this event please contact  Céline Lebrun Shaath

Other events you might like to attend

Public Narrative Coach Training Program So you took a Public Narrative workshop and found something powerful in the framework – but what’s next? How can you carry this craft into your life and bring it to your organization or community for an even bigger impact?  Information: Date: Application Deadline is May 15, 2025 Place: Online on Zoom Apply Now Become a Public Narrative Coach with us! This August, Leading Change Network (LCN) is launching  its 4th annual  Public Narrative training for coaches. . This program develops skilled coaches who are instrumental in bringing Public Narrative to organizations, activists, and leaders.  With stronger coaches, we can supercharge change by weaving this impactful craft within value-driven organizations and movements.  “The program gave me an enhanced sense of calling in the work I'm doing, and

Land defenders across the globe have been leading the fight to protect their lands, homes, and livelihoods from exploitation and extraction. We invite the global organizing community to come together and engage in a critical conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing land defenders and land defense campaigns worldwide. We will hear from a lineup of land defenders on the frontline. Through the session, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the struggles land defenders face, how they are building power and hope, and explore solidarity across movements. In a special collaboration between the Leading Change Network (LCN) and the Global Grassroots Support Network (GGSN), we invite you to join us on Thursday, June 19th @ 10am Eastern Time for a global conversation with land defenders. We will hear from a lineup of land defenders from across the globe. The session will be moderated by Jacob Okumu from

Public Narrative workshop We are excited to announce LCN’s annual Public Narrative workshop. Over a weekend in July, you can join our global network of organizers to tell your personal story, articulate your calling, and build authentic relationships with others on a foundation of shared values.  Two-day public Narrative workshop! Information:  Workshop Dates: Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27, 2025, from 9am – 3pm ET on both days.  Application Deadline: July 11th 2025  Place: Online on Zoom Apply Now What you will learn Together, we will create – or re-create – the shared purpose of your community, and learn how to invite people to act on what matters most with urgency & agency. We will meet the challenge of apathy and disconnectedness with a new sense of purpose, community, and action through a key leadership practice: Public

In 2024, LCN launched Community Organizing Coach Training Programーa two-month program for organizers and campaigners to master the craft, content, and process of community organizing coaching. 22 coaches from 9 countries came together to learn how to coach their people on the five core organizing practices, equipping themselves with the skills to lead organizing workshops within their communities and enable them to win campaigns. We invite you to join us on May 7th @ 10am - 12pm Eastern Time for an interactive showcase of the innovations, challenges, and lessons from the inaugural program! Whether you’re a leader training coaches, an organization leader bringing coaching capacity to your teams, or an organizer looking to learn about our programs—come to our showcase! The session has two parts. Part 1 (10 - 11:15am ET): open to everyone! Get an overview of the program, learn about key innovations and lessons emerging from the

If not now, when? The world feels like it’s unraveling, and more than ever, we need to tell stories that inspire hope and action. But how do we tell stories that resonate with people on an experiential level and motivate them to take action? The Story of Now is often seen as the most intuitive part of Public Narrative, but it can be tricky to bring alive moments of challenge that feel urgent and resonate for the collective "us." And when the challenge is overwhelming and hope seems scarce, it can be even harder to offer a meaningful and strategic call to action. That's where our Skill Practice Session on Story of Now comes in. This 90-minute skill practice session will help you strengthen your understanding of the craft, learn to identify the resources in the room, develop a compelling story of Now, as well as coach one another

Imagine crafting a story that unites people, lifts up their shared values, and inspires inspiration. It’s all possible with a powerful Story of Us! The Story of Us lies at the heart of connection in Public Narrative, but it can also be one of the most challenging. How do we identify and bring alive moments that resonate with the collective ‘Us’? How can we pull from the depth of shared experiences within a community to articulate the shared values? Join us on June 3rd at 9am US Eastern Time / 3pm Central European Time for our Skill Practice Session on Story of Us! In this 90 min session, you will have the opportunity to strengthen your understanding of the craft, lean into the practice of empathic listening and observation, practice developing a unique story of us, and coach one another to improve our skills. This session will be led

Crafting a story of self is a transformative experienceーa process of discovering and articulating the values and experiences that define who we are and call on us to take leadership. It’s also a process that thrives when shared with others. The most authentic and powerful stories of self are nurtured in supportive spaces where we can learn, practice, and coach one another on our stories. Join us on Thursday, May 22nd at 10am US Eastern Time / 3pm UK Time for our Skill Practice Session on Story of Self! During the 90 min session, you will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the key elements of Story of Self, further develop your personal narrative, and practice sharing and coaching in small groups. This session will be led by narrative and organizing trainer Prakriti Bhattarai Basnet. This session is exclusive for LCN members and their guests (team members,

Burnout is not inevitable. Discover how joy can be a revolutionary force in organizing. This session introduces a four-step process to address burnout by generating joy in your work, drawing on real-world examples from large-scale organizational efforts, including a transformative initiative in São Paulo, Brazil. Participants will practice the process in real time, and explore actionable strategies for building a joyful organizing environment and sustaining wellbeing within teams, organizations, and across campaigns. The events are free for members, and 15USD per event for non-members. We also have a bundled ticket for all three events at 40USD and a combination ticket for all three events + annual LCN membership for 100USD. Limited free scholarship tickets are available upon request to info@leadingchangenetwork.org. Information: Date: Thursday, Mat 29th Time: 9:00–10:30 am Eastern Time Place: Online on Zoom Sign-up! Speakers & presenters

Trust is the foundation of impactful relationships in organizing. In times where many feel a deep sense of division, how can we build trustworthiness as individuals and organizations? This session examines the societal trends affecting trust today and explores three key drivers of interpersonal trust: empathy, logic, and authenticity. Participants will practice relational strategies to communicate across disagreements and deepen trust. Learn how you can foster genuine connections and deepen interpersonal trust across your teams, campaigns, and communities as you organize for change. The events are free for LCN members, and 15USD per event for non-members. We also have a bundled ticket for all three events at 40USD and a combination ticket for all three events + annual LCN membership for 100USD. Limited free scholarship tickets are available upon request to info@leadingchangenetwork.org. Information: Date: Thursday, April 24th Time: 9:00–10:30 am Eastern Time Place: Online on Zoom Sign-up!

BDS Movement: Building a Global Coalition to End Israeli Apartheid
Skill Practice Session - Story of Now