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Druze military officers and politicians have launched a campaign against the Nation-State Law, which they say has downgraded the status and rights of the Druze community in Israel.

They are planning a series of protests that will culminate in a march and demonstration that will end in Rabin Square, in Tel Aviv, on 4 August.

Former deputy foreign minister and deputy Knesset speaker Majali Wahabe said: “The country doesn’t need this law… We’re willing to sacrifice ourselves on behalf of the homeland.”

Druze Brig. Gen. (res.) Anwar Saab, a former brigade commander who was injured in the Second Lebanon War, said: This law is nothing but a disappointment to the character of the State of Israel. The damage isn’t to Druze as Druze, but a gross violation of the contract that was forged between the Druze community and the Jews,” he added, “I’m sure that Ben-Gurion is turning in his grave.” Druze MK Akram Hasson from Kulanu, which is part of the governing coalition said: “Nobody ought to be surprised that the nation-state law was received so badly by us.  The writing was on the wall, but some people have chosen to ignore it.”

Responding to the campaign, Education Minister and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett appeared to suggest the law should be amended after he published a statement on twitter saying: “After discussions with many of our Druze brothers, it has become clear that the manner in which the Nation-State Law was enacted was very damaging especially to them, and to anyone who has tied their fate to the Jewish state. This, of course, was not the intention of the Israeli Government. These are our brothers who stand shoulder to shoulder with us on the battlefield and made a covenant with us – a covenant of life. We, the Government of Israel, have a responsibility to find a way to heal the rift.”

In a second tweet, Bennet expressed his continued support for the Nation-State Law but clarified that a ”specific flaw” was concerning the issue around “Druze brothers”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday that he will hold a meeting with Minister Ayoub Kara, a high profile Druze Likud member of Knesset, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Druze coalition MKs. Netanyahu will also meet with Druze community leaders.

A petition challenging the Nation-State Law was submitted to the High Court of Justice earlier in the week by a group of Druze Knesset members including Akram Hasson from Kulanu, Hamad Amar from Yisrael Beiteinu and Salah Saad from the Zionist Union. Druze officials have stated that, if the petition is rejected by the court, protests will continue.