In recent weeks, Israel has increased its military operations south into southern Syria. They appear to be primarily focusing their attacks on government forces advancing towards the predominantly Druze-populated governorate of Suwayda. The Druze, an Arab sect with a deep historical ancestry, mainly live in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Around one million Druze reside in these countries, with sizeable populations in the Israeli-held Golan Heights and southern Syria. Israel’s intervention stems from a commitment to protect this unique community amid the ongoing Syrian civil conflict, which has left the Druze vulnerable to both regime forces and extremist groups.
The Druze, who descended from 11th century Egyptians, follow a unique branch of Islam. Their religion strictly forbids anyone from converting either to or from their faith and absolutely forbids any form of intermarriage. In Israel, Druze men over 18 have been subjected to conscription into the military since 1957, with many rising to elite officer ranks. Furthermore, thousands of members of the Druze community work in Israel’s police and security apparatus as agents of state repression.
The Druze Community in Israel and Syria
Our Israeli Druze community is mostly centered in the Carmel and Galilee regions, numbering about 130,000 members. The Druze who live on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights, though, consider themselves to be Syrian. At the end of the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied this area. Most refused Israeli citizenship and instead took residency cards and continued to live as non-citizens.
This decision is indicative of the complication relationship that many have with the Israeli state. Additionally, they serve in the military and security sectors as natural resources agents. For one, their loyalties are tested by close cultural and historical ties to Syria. The Golan Heights Druze now share their homeland with some 25,000 Jewish settlers spread across more than 30 mostly agricultural settlements.
The Druze people are a large, if not the dominant, ethnoreligious group in southern Syria’s Suwayda province. They have endured unimaginable suffering in the course of the ten-year civil war. They have experienced firsthand the violent reality of being sandwiched between state security forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and extremist groups. The ongoing instability heightens concerns for their physical security and continues to drive demands for international protection.
Israel’s Commitment to Protecting the Druze
Yesterday, Israel made an unprecedented public promise to protect the Druze community after worsening tensions and attack from Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian government forces. Recent SUF military operations have involved strikes to force back regime advances on Suwayda. For their part, Israeli officials insist that such operations are necessary to prevent wider instability in the area and to further protect civilians.
The Israeli military recently reported targeting “military vehicles belonging to Syrian regime forces in the area of Suwayda.” This military strategy was his first attempt to deter aggression towards the Druze. In so doing, it asserts robust protection from the dangers inherent in Syria’s complicated and violent theater.
Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister’s office has cut any doubt to their position as being on the offense. They stated that Israel “prohibits the introduction of forces and weapons into southern Syria,” emphasizing their commitment to maintaining a buffer zone and preventing any destabilizing actions that could further endanger the Druze.
Voices from the Druze Community
Among the Druze, there is increasing panic over their existence, as violence rages around them. Intimidation from terrorists and religious fundamentalists Hikmat Al-Hijri, an outspoken Druze spiritual leader, has raised alarm over the dangerous circumstances threatened to his people.
“We are facing a complete war of extermination,” – Hikmat Al-Hijri
His statement is a testament to the despair that many Druze currently experience. They have become more and more vulnerable to attacks from government forces as well as extremist groups.
Al-Hijri has condemned the attack and called for international intervention. He calls on every nation to stand between his town and what he calls a “barbaric campaign.” His calls resonate with many who fear for their safety as they navigate the treacherous dynamics of Syria’s conflict-ridden landscape.
The Syrian foreign ministry has condemned Israel’s military actions as “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic.” They further labeled these strikes as “a reprehensible example of ongoing aggression and foreign interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.” This quote puts on full display the tension between Israel and Syria. At the same time, it shines a light on the larger geopolitical conflicts driving much of this region.
