Israel Commits to Protecting Druze Amid Syrian Government’s Bid for Greater Control
The announcement by the prime minister’s office was made while the Syrian government was engaging with the Kurds and battling with the Alawites.
Israel has declared its commitment to stand up for the Druze minority in southern Syria in response to the treatment of the Alawites minority group by the new Syrian government.
According to a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the recent events involving the Alawites in coastal areas were described as a “massacre of civilians.”
Israel is ready to defend the Druze population in Syria if necessary, as stated by spokesman David Mencer during a press briefing on March 10.
The Druze, followers of a minority religion with ties to Islam, have communities in Israel and Lebanon, including 24,000 living in the Golan Heights, which Israel took over during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed.
Israel maintains good relations with its Druze population, many of whom serve in the Israeli army.
The Druze, who were aligned with the Assad regime during its rule, are uncertain about the implications of the regime change following Bashar Assad’s departure, as he is an Alawite.
The statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office coincides with the struggles of the new Syrian regime to establish control over regions dominated by various ethnic and religious minorities.
The impact of the Syrian government’s deal with the Kurds on Syria’s Druze community remains unclear.
Reports suggest that a similar agreement was reached in the Druze-majority Suwayda province in the south of Syria.
The new Syrian government, formed by members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist group, has faced challenges in securing control over coastal areas where the Alawites reside.
Actions against the Alawites have been seen as reprisals by many and have sparked outrage.
Israel has expressed concerns about the sudden rise of the terrorist HTS force in Damascus and vowed to defend its citizens in southern Syria from any threats posed by terrorist elements.
Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took swift action to secure military bases in northern Syria and prevent hostile forces from seizing them.
Israel’s Defense Ministry instructed the military to prepare to defend the Druze-majority city of Jaramana in the Damascus suburbs.
The IDF targeted military sites in south Syria overnight to ensure the protection of its interests.
On March 9, the Israeli government approved a five-year plan worth approximately $1.1 billion to address housing and planning issues affecting the Druze and Circassian minorities in northern Israel.
The government also announced plans to allow Syrian Druze to work in Israeli towns in the Golan Heights.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
