Ayoob Kara, who served as Israel’s Communication, Cyber and Satellite Minister, is known for his sworn loyalty to the State of Israel. This is because the Druze attach great value to being loyal to one’s country and Kara’s family has hundreds of years of history in the Holy Land: “My family came here from Kurdistan, Syria hundreds of years ago during the Ottoman Turkish Empire. The Druze had autonomy then from Lebanon till Gaza. Fachr Al Din El Mane Elthane, who maintained Druze autonomy under the Ottoman Turks, was my ancestor.”

“My first ancestor hundreds of years ago created a settlement,” he added. “They called the village “Khirbat Doubel, which means an old and destroyed house. My village was called Khirbat Doubel before it was known as Daliyat Al Carmel. Hundreds of years after him, my village of Daliyat Al Carmel now has almost 20,000 Druze citizens.”

According to Kara, his family name in Arabic is usually given to learned people who know how to read and write, as Kara means “to...

Israel Today Membership

Become a Member

• Read all member content

  Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel.

• Get exclusive in-depth reports from Israel

  Connect with Israel, right from your home.

• Lift up the voice of truth and hope

  Support Jerusalem-based Zionist journalism.

Become a Member

Already a member? Login here.