Jerusalem, 16 July, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Land Authority Council approved giving up to 100% priority to local residents in Druze and Circassian communities for new developments, “recognizing the uniqueness of these communities and their needs to live as a community in special settlement areas for them.”

A planning policy document will be written that will take into account the special characteristics of these communities, and a joint planning committee will be established for the Druze and Circassian communities.

The Druze are a small Arabic group who, like Jews, are both a religion and a nation of people. However, they do not claim any homeland of their own and are loyal to the countries in which they live. The Druze communities are divided between Israel, Syria and Lebanon.

The Circassians are a Christian ethnic community whose ancestors immigrated to the area from the Caucuses after a genocide almost wiped out their entire population.