Israel have always had few allies in the Middle East in its fight for self-preservation. However, one small ethnoreligious group is an exception. The Druze have sided with the Jewish state ever since its inception, adhering to a ‘covenant of blood’ between Jews and the Druze.

Religious hatred matters. Jihadi violence targeting Christian houses of worship during religious holidays explicitly conveys theological hostility. This terrible reality is unpalatable for some analysts, who remain content to blame other forces.