Druze Community Launches First Independent Party in Decades Ahead of Israeli Elections

Former IDF Druze battalion commander Col. (res.) Wajdi Sarhan announced the formation of Brit Achim – the “Alliance of Brothers” – at a public gathering in Majdal Shams on May 4, 2026. The party is presented as an independent political force intended to secure representation for Israel’s Druze minority in the upcoming Knesset elections, which are scheduled no later than October 2026.

The Jerusalem PostTimes of IsraelYnetNews

Druze representation in the Knesset has been minimal; the 2022 election yielded a single Druze MK, Hamad Amar, placed sixth on the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu list. The community, comprising about 2 percent of Israel’s population, accounts for roughly 3 percent of career soldiers. In July 2024, a Hezbollah strike on Majdal Shams killed 12 children, intensifying local grievances.

The Jerusalem Post

Wajdi Sarhan, a veteran of the 2006 Lebanon War and former head of the IDF’s Population Administration, serves as party chair. He is joined by local dignitaries such as Sheikh Antir Maadi, Maghar Mayor Taier Kizel, and Yarka Council head Wa’ad Shanan, who attended the launch.

YnetNews

Sarhan estimates the Alliance of Brothers could win ? 2 seats, positioning the party as a possible kingmaker in coalition negotiations. The party plans to remain politically independent while remaining open to strategic alliances, aiming to influence the public agenda and address community-specific concerns.

Times of Israel

The party’s platform stresses independent representation and the pursuit of “realistic” parliamentary seats. It announced ongoing talks with other political actors but affirmed that any alliance would preserve full independence. In response, Likud leader Gadi Eisenkot pledged to place a Druze candidate in a realistic spot on his party’s list, acknowledging the community’s desire for greater influence.

Times of Israel

Sarhan criticized past Druze representatives as “rubber stamps” bound by factional discipline, noting that promises made to the community “evaporated the day after elections.” He highlighted a “painful feeling” of full partnership in duties but a lack of justice and rights, underscoring low Druze voter turnout (25 percent in 2022) as evidence of disenchantment with existing party structures.

The Jerusalem Post

The Majdal Shams event drew hundreds of Druze citizens, religious leaders, and reserve officers. Attendees recalled the July 2024 Hezbollah attack that killed twelve children, a tragedy cited by Sarhan as a catalyst for political mobilization. A parallel ceremony in Maghar featured similar community participation and emphasized the party’s commitment to “stop scattering and unite into an independent force.”

YnetNews

Sarhan’s statements project winning “two” seats, yet he also mentions “two to two-and-a-half” seats, while Israeli electoral law requires a minimum of four seats for a party to enter the Knesset, implying a potential joint list. Sources differ on the exact launch location (Majdal Shams vs. Maghar) and on the party’s official name spelling (Brit Achim vs. Brit HaAchim). Reliability scores for the source articles range from 39 to 44, and no official election timetable beyond “no later than October” is provided.

Times of Israel

• “The time has come to change the equation: to stop dispersing and to unite into an independent force that influences the public agenda,” — Wajdi Sarhan, Party Chair

The Jerusalem Post

• “This is not another attempt to merge with an existing list in exchange for a seat — this is a declaration of an independent political force,” — Wajdi Sarhan

Times of Israel

• “Over the years, we have been accompanied by a painful feeling — full partnership in duties, but a lack of justice and rights,” — Wajdi Sarhan

YnetNews

• “We, the residents of the north, will no longer tolerate one round after another. We will demand a decision. It is time for the north, the most beautiful region of the country, to flourish with real security,” — Wajdi Sarhan

YnetNews

Israel’s next national elections must be held by October 2026. The Alliance of Brothers will finalize its candidate slate in the coming months, negotiate potential alliances, and campaign on security, land-use, and community-rights issues highlighted during the launch events.

The Jerusalem Post