'I met the leader of this religion of one million people which produces feared warriors'

Clashes between different religions and ideologies have erupted in the Middle East for centuries, but there is one little-known group living in Israel that has learned to peacefully coexist and thrive within the Jewish state. The Druze are a people and religion of around one million people globally, and the faith can trace its origins back to the Levant region, the name for the area including Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, and most adherents live in these countries.

Like Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the Druze believe in one god, but despite tracing origins from Islam, the Druze do not consider themselves Muslims and unlike other Abrahamic relgions, the Druze believe in reincarnation. In Israel the Druze have become a shining example of how different cultures can coexist in a state surronded by a region where racial and religious differences have sadly led to years of war and terror.

In fact, the Druze are so respected within Israeli society, many of them serve in the Israel Defence Force (IDF) and have risen to the highest level in the armed forces. It's said Druze soldiers are some of the most feared in the Middle East.

Sheikh Mowafaq Ṭarīf, is the qadi, or judge, the spiritual leader of the Druze people living within the state of Israel and it is his job to oversee all matters, both relating to faith and day-to-day disputes.

"First of all I am not sleelping", he joked as he spoke to Express.co.uk about his role. "I have to take care of everybody, to listen to everybody, to maintain contact with everybody, to answer a thousand questions a day on WhatsApp, and be part of each celebration, happiness or funeral.

"All disputes that are within the community I have to deal with, and between families too.

"In the morning I might have a meeting with a president or a prime minister and in the evening I might have to meet a couple dealing with a problem in their marriage. I have no down time."

Speaking about how Druze culture and society coexist with the state of Israel, where around 20% of Druze people live, the Sheikh added: "Sometimes there are clashes, but we have an autonomous way of running our traditional religious judgements and laws. The state does not interfere with our way of solving problems.

"We have full religious independence and freedom of religion. We are the only people responsible for our sacred places and places of worship, and no one interferes with this.

"Our concerns are mainly with the concerns of the youngsters in our society who are leaving the community and assimilating in the general community, we are trying to bring them back to the Druze.

"We of course want our young to gain from the good of Western society, but for the things that don't fit with what view as good in our mentality, we try to encourage our people to leave them out."

In Druze culture, only Druze can marry other Druze and inter-faith unions are not permitted. However, unlike many cultures, Druze women can divorce their husband if they are not happy and they also have full say over what happens to any children from the marriage.

The Druze community has faced some friction from the government of Israel in terms of new laws. The Jerusalem Post reports the 2018 Nation State Law, passed in the parliament the Knesset, declared Israel to be the nation-state of the Jewish people, however, many Israelis it is reported believe this is exclusionary to minorities like the Druze.

Former Brigadier General Dr Alaa Abu Rakun, rose to one of the highest ranks in the IDF as a Druze. He told Express.co.uk both Israelis and Druze "dream for peace" in the region.

He added: "I think we have nothing more to prove as to who we are and what is our position as a community. There is, and has been, a very tight relationship between the state of Israel, the Jewish people and the Druze community.

"But we still have challenges from almost every perspective. We are Druze and we are Arabs, it is our mother tongue, but despite being unique, we are often categorised, as in people want to know, 'what side are we on?', even though our loyalty to our country, to Israel, is beyond question.

"Since the establishment of Israel, you can see the contribution of the Druze among all aspects, mainly through security and defence because in our blood and DNA we are warriors.

"We have naturally integrated into the IDF as warriors and then as commanders and high-level commanders, today you can see many generals in various positions who are Druze. In diplomacy, many diplomats and ambassadors come from the Druze society.

"We still have many challenges, but in all dimensions we are very much integrated and proud to be part of the Israeli society."