IDF promises Syrian Druze villages protection, if not annexation
Following a viral video of Druze communities in Syria calling for annexation by Israel, IDF officers have assured Druze village leaders of their ability to provide security and protection, while clarifying that there are no plans to annex territory in Syria.
The viral video showed a Druze speaker calling on local leaders to support annexation to Israel, saying,
“In the name of all the people of Hader, and if anyone objects, please say… if we have to choose, we will choose the lesser evil – to be annexed to the (Israeli) Golan!” Referring to the Islamists in Syria as “the other evil coming our way,” he warned that rebel groups would “take our wives, our daughters, our homes.” He asked, “What is our fate?” The crowd responded, “Israel.”
In response to the video, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi promised that measures would be taken to protect both the residents of Israel and the Syrian Druze villages near the border.
He rejected recent comments from the rebel leader, Al-Shara (Abu Mohammed al-Jolani), that Israel has “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria.”
“We are not interfering in what's happening inside Syria, nor do we intend to govern it. However, we are unequivocally involved in ensuring the security of Israeli citizens living in communities behind us in the Golan Heights. This is something we are handling with professionalism, determination and precision,” said Halevi.
“Syria was once an enemy state; its army has collapsed, and there is a real threat that terrorist elements will try to establish themselves near our border. We have acted decisively to prevent extremist groups from settling right next to us."
Approximately 700,000 Druze live in Syria, with about 20,000 of Israel’s 150,000 Druze residing just over the border in the Golan Heights, according to the Telegraph.
Israeli journalist and political analyst Barak Ravid shared on CNN, “When it comes to the Druze in Syria, Israel has informed the Druze community in Israel that it will intervene if the Druze community in Syria is threatened.”
The Druze request to be annexed has caused a stir, contravening many widely held assumptions that Syrian Druze would be more hostile to Israel. “It’s very surprising,” an Israeli Druze resident of Majdal Shams said.
Despite efforts to maintain neutrality and avoid conscription during the civil war, the Syrian Druze were perceived as being more supportive of the Assad regime, considering it a preferable alternative to radical Islamist groups. This has left the communities vulnerable to attack now that President Bashar al-Assad has been overthrown.
Israeli military officers have met with community leaders near the Israeli border, assuring them that residents would remain unharmed and their daily lives would continue without disruption, according to Ynet News.
Capt. Omer, a company commander from the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, described how Druze villages were cooperating with the IDF's security measures.
“I asked the village elder to collect weapons from residents after they had taken rifles from abandoned Syrian military outposts,” he said, adding that residents complied with the request and that no unusual incidents had been reported.
“The readiness here is solid and effective,” Halevi said, encouraging IDF commanders to respond to any threats that may arise. “Make the necessary changes – you have all the IDF resources and an excellent force at your disposal.”
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
