"It took me three months to realize that the political world is not my place"

In 1982, during the First Lebanon War, Amal Assad, then an officer in the Paratroopers Brigade, participated in battles led by Yoram (Ya-Ya) Yair, from the landing at the Awali River to the outskirts of Beirut. There, amidst the chaos, Assad experienced a defining moment that changed his worldview.

"In Lebanon, I met the local Druze population for the first time, and it was a shaking encounter," Assad recalls. "During heavy fire, a wounded girl arrived with her mother, who wore traditional Druze clothing, just like my mother. It shocked me. I realized then that one must always reach out a hand. We had to evacuate the girl to Rambam Hospital. The mother was hesitant, not understanding the situation, and I tried to explain in our language that I am Druze and would look after her daughter. She was eventually convinced."

Assad kept in touch with the family long after the war. "I realized the crazy paradox of war," he explains. "The mother told me later that among the fighters on the other side were Lebanese Druze soldiers. It is a complex paradox, but in the moment of truth, you think about protecting your subordinates and comrades, not about who is in front of you, even if they are from your own community."

Jewish values

Throughout his military and public career, Brigadier General (res.) Amal Assad formulated three values that became his personal compass: courage, determination, and compassion. These are the title of his new autobiography, "My Tanakh."

"These are three simple but powerful values," he explains. "In May 1973, when I enlisted, I took my oath at the Western Wall on a Jewish Tanakh. It was clear to me that it contained universal values I carried throughout my life. I had successes and failures, but I learned that the person is the most important thing."

The book begins with his childhood in the village of Isfiya. "I didn't finish high school, but I found my second family in the paratroopers. Five months after I enlisted, the Yom Kippur War broke out, and at 18, I was fighting at the 'Chinese Farm.' I was wounded by shrapnel, but returned to the field after treatment. I was wounded three times, but always returned, understanding the magnitude of my responsibility."

Assad commanded the Paratroopers' Engineering Company, the 932nd Battalion, and the Menashe Brigade in the Jenin area. "My time in Jenin (1991–1994) was one of the most challenging," he says. "We fought terror, but my approach was always aggressive toward militants and sensitive toward civilians. Innocent civilians are off-limits."

On whether this approach holds today, he says: "I don't see good things today. The system is driven by emotions, hatred, and extreme marginal elements. I hope we can return to sanity. Back then, we acted out of common sense and logic. It is impossible for everyone—Jew or Arab—to do whatever they want in the field."

In 1998, Assad became the third Druze to reach the rank of Brigadier General. His last role was commanding the Security Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism (MAVTASH). "I managed security cooperation with the Palestinians," he details. "There was full coordination then; we knew every move of every terrorist. Unfortunately, this model faded over the years, and today we are in a much worse situation."

A crack in the wall of democracy

In 1999, after 26 years of service, Assad retired from the IDF and tried to enter politics. "My decision stemmed from a desire to influence," he explains. "But it took me only three months to realize that the political world is not my place. I left, slamming the door, and have kept my word to this day."

Regarding the Likud, he says: "I am not sure there is a Likud anymore. Reality today is controlled by the far-right. The current discourse and blind worship of individuals is a serious mistake. Our society must talk about issues, not politicians. The deep rift is dangerous, and I hope we return to sanity."

Assad led the struggle against the Nation-State Law. "It is an open wound," he declares. "Back in 2014, I warned that this law was a dangerous crack in the wall of Israeli democracy. Today, everyone sees that it has widened. The essence of democracy is to protect the minority. The law not only failed to protect minorities, it trampled them, especially the Druze community. I hope one day it is thrown in the trash."

In recent years, Assad has served as CEO of "Tyrec." In 2012, he initiated the "Path of the Druze Sons" project to commemorate fallen soldiers, including his brother, Wafa Assad. "I didn't want a silent monument of marble," he says. "I decided to create a dynamic project—a 220-kilometer trail passing through all the Druze villages in the country."

On the status of Druze citizens today, he says: "I feel a change in the consciousness of Jewish society; there is an understanding that the community is a full partner. However, we lag in social development. That is also the fault of the community's leadership, including myself. I hope it will improve."