Jewish-owned home torched in northern Druze town of Peki'in

[bemildred]

A Jewish-owned home in the upper Galilee village of Peki'in was set on fire on Monday, a move police say was meant as a warning by Druze youth to locals who sell their homes to Jews.

The house was purchased four months ago by entrepreneur Naftali Friedman who planned to turn it into a hostel. The house is located adjacent to the village spring in the center of town and is currently empty due to renovations.

The home owner arrived Monday morning to find that tires were set on fire inside the home causing serious damage. No one was hurt in the incident. Since violent riots broke out in November between police and Druze youth over the burning of a cellular antenna in the village there have been a number of incidents in which Jewish property was damaged.

The clashes left dozens injured, including three people who sustained injuries after police shot them using live rounds.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953189.html

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. This land is my land ... this land is my land ... oh heck n/t

[robinlynne]

2. What does Druze mean?

[atreides1]

3. Here's a definition

The Druze (Arabic: درزي, derzī or durzī, plural دروز, durūz; Hebrew: דרוזים‎, Druzim; also transliterated Druz or Druse) are a religious community found primarily in Lebanon, Israel, and Syria whose traditional religion is said to have begun as an offshoot of the Ismaili sect of Islam, but is unique in its incorporation of Gnostic, neo-Platonic and other philosophies. Theologically Druze consider themselves "an Islamic Unist, reformatory sect". The Druze call themselves Ahl al-Tawhid ("People of Monotheism") or al-Muwahhidūn ("Monotheists").

Druze are not considered Muslims by most other Muslims because they are believed to address prayers to the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, whom they regard as "a manifestation of God in His unity." Druze believe Al-Hakim did not die but went into occultation (was "hidden" by God) and will return as the Mahdi on Judgement Day. The origin of the name Druze is traced to Nashtakin ad-Darazi, one of the first preachers of the religion.

[robinlynne]

6. Thank-you both.

[bemildred]

4. An ancient religious community "thought to be an offshoot of the ismaili sect of islam"..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druze

The Druze play a large part in Lebanese politics, too.

[Vegasaurus]

5. where's the outrage about people who don't want to sell homes to Jews?

Thought we didn't like that kind of racist behavior around here.