[6] Before the Israeli Declaration of Independence, Druze people were not recognized as a religious community, and were discriminated against by the local judicial system.

Much like the Abrahamic faiths, the Druze religion is monotheistic, and recognizes many prophets, including Jesus,[18][19] John the Baptist,[18][19] Mohammed, Khidr and Moses.

[21] The Druze faith incorporates elements of Islam's Ismailism,[22] Gnosticism, Neoplatonism,[23][24] Pythagoreanism,[25][26] Christianity,[23][24] Hinduism[27][26] and other philosophies and beliefs, creating a distinct and secretive theology known to interpret esoterically religious scriptures, and to highlight the role of the mind and truthfulness.

As for important rules that the Druze must follow, they are not allowed to drink alcohol, eat pork, or smoke tobacco, similarly to the dietary laws in Islam.

According to the biblical narrative, Jethro joined and assisted the Israelites in the desert during the Exodus, accepted monotheism, but ultimately rejoined his own people.

[30] In January 2004, the current spiritual leader, Sheikh Muwaffak Tarīf, called on all non-Jews in Israel to observe the Seven Noahide Laws, as laid down in the Bible and expounded upon in Jewish tradition.

[37] The Druze have frequently experienced persecution by different Muslim regimes such as the Shia Fatimid Caliphate,[38] Sunni Ottoman Empire,[39] and Egypt Eyalet.

[43] The relationship between the Druze and Jews has been controversial,[44] Anti-Jewish (antisemitic) bias material is contained in the Druze literature such as the Epistles of Wisdom; for example, in an epistle ascribed to one of the founders of Druzism, Baha al-Din al-Muqtana,[45] probably written sometime between AD 1027 and AD 1042, accused Jews of killing the sacred prophets.

Scholars acknowledge one tradition suggesting they settled at Isfiya, following the downfall of the Lebanon-centered House Ma'an.

[57] According to historian Ilan Pappé, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, in villages partly inhabited by Druze, Christians were generally exempt from expulsion.

During the early days of the conflict, a meeting of all the noblemen from all the Druze villages was conducted in Daliyat al-Karmel, where they all agreed not to take part in the riots instigated by the Arab Higher Committee.

[60] Yanuh and Jat were among several Druze villages located in the military zone of Arab Liberation Army (ALA) of Fawzi al-Qawuqji.

[61] The contacts between the Druze and the Jewish leadership were made through Labib Hussein Abu Rokan from Isfya and Salah-Hassan Hanifes from Shefa-'Amr (both became members of the Knesset after Israel's establishment).

When the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) was created by the Arab League, Shakib Wahhab, a Syrian–Druze military commander resigned from the Syrian army and established a Druze battalion for the ALA, collecting Druze volunteers who joined mostly due to economic reasons from Syria and Lebanon.

Mansour did not agree to the demand that the local Druze would forcibly oppose the volunteers, and instead proposed the Jews bribe Wahhab to abandon his command.

[81] After the annexation of the Golan Heights in 1981, the Israeli government offered citizenship to all non-Israelis living in the territory,[78][82] but (as of 2011), less than 10% of the local Druze accepted it.

[83] In 2012, however, due to the Syrian Civil War, dozens of young Druze have applied for Israeli citizenship—a much larger number than in previous years.

[citation needed] Residents of Majdal Shams and the other Golan Druze villages are not drafted into the Israel Defense Forces.

A record number of citizenship requests have been filed, with many preferring not to discuss this publicly due to community pressure and potential repercussions.

[90][80] Hamas' October 7 attack and its escalation to the northern front has led to increased integration of the Druze communities in the Golan with Israeli authorities.

In November 2023, Majdal Shams Mayor Dolan Abu Saleh discussed the formation of the town's first IDF-trained guard squadron, calling it a milestone in the increasing "cooperation and harmony with IDF forces in the Golan villages".

The bond between Jewish and Druze soldiers is commonly known by the term "a covenant of blood" (Hebrew: ברית דמים, brit damim).

[104] Sheikh Tarif also refused to sanction marriages involving soldiers, viewing conscription as a threat to the community's reputation and values.

[104] On the contrary, another faction within the Druze community advocated for full cooperation with Israelis, including endorsing conscription.

[105] Reda Mansour, a Druze poet, historian, and diplomat, explained: "We are the only non-Jewish minority that is drafted into the military, and we have an even higher percentage in the combat units and as officers than the Jewish members themselves.

[112]In a survey conducted in 2008 by Dr. Yusuf Hassan of Tel Aviv University found that out of 764 Druze participants, more than 94% identify as "Druze-Israelis" in the religious and national context.

[117] The Jewish-Druze partnership was often referred to as "a covenant of blood" (Hebrew: ברית דמים, brit damim) in recognition of the common military yoke carried by the two peoples for the security of the country.

[125] Interaction between Christians (members of the Maronite, Eastern Orthodox, Melkite, and other churches) and the Unitarian Druze resulted in the establishment and existence of mixed villages and towns in Galilee region, Mount Carmel, and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights.

[125] This includes Abu Snan, Daliyat al-Karmel, Ein Qiniyye, Hurfeish, Isfiya, Kafr Yasif, Kisra-Sumei, Majdal Shams, Maghar, Peki'in, Rameh and Shefa-Amr,[125] where more than 82,000 Druze and 30,000 Christians live in these mixed villages and towns.

[125] Before Israel's occupation, Christians accounted for 12% of the population of the Golan Heights, and they tend to have a high presentation in science and in the white collar professions.