Who are the Druze, and why does Israel say it is striking Syria for their benefit?
Syria
pitting the Islamist-led government against members of the Druze community has put a spotlight on the small but influential minority.
Straddling
Lebanon
, Syria, Jordan,
Israel
and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the Druze occupy a special niche in the region's complex politics.
Israel has cited protecting the Druze as a reason for attacking forces from Syria's Islamist-led government.
Who are the Druze?
Syria is home to the largest Druze community in the world. They number about 700,000 and constitute about 3 per cent of the population. While they are scattered across the country, the majority live in the southern Syrian province of Sweida and Jabal al-Druze, the Druze Mountain.
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Druze are also found in Lebanon (300,000), Jordan, Israel, Palestine and the Israeli-occupied and annexed Syrian Golan Heights where most of the 20,000 Druze retain Syrian nationality.
Druze have played important roles in the independence movements in Syria and Lebanon and in politics after these states emerged from French rule. Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, headed by Walid Jumblatt, remains a key player on the political scene.
Druze have also emigrated to the US, UK and Latin America. International lawyer Amal Alamuddin, actor George Clooney's wife, is of Druze and Sunni background.
What links do they have with Israel?
About 150,000 live in Israel and the Israeli-occupied and annexed Golan Heights.
Those who have lived in Israel since its founding in 1948 are citizens and many have served in the Israeli army and Knesset.
Druze protested in 2018 when a law was adopted that defined Israel as the 'nation state' of the Jewish people despite the fact that Druze count for 1.6 per cent, and 21 per cent of Israelis are Palestinian Arabs.
The Druze faith is a monotheistic non-Muslim offshoot of Shia Islam which emerged in the 11th century, believes in reincarnation and embraced aspects of Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. The faith is the third-largest in Syria. Druze are born into the faith. Conversion and apostasy are not allowed and marriage outside the faith is discouraged.
What is the status of the Druze in Syria?
Since the ousting of president Bashar al-Assad in December, the Druze have been divided over their approach to the Sunni fundamentalist government. Some factions have tried to negotiate a new relationship with Damascus, others resist merging their militias with the country's armed forces, while many reject the presence of Syrian security personnel and soldiers in Sweida.
What's driving Israel's intervention?
Israel has reached out to the Druze and the other Syrian minorities to act as their protector. However, after the imposition of the ceasefire in this week's violence, Syrian forces withdrew from Sweida, indicating that security is likely to be provided by Druze paramilitaries.
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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Syria's president accuses Israel of seeking ‘endless chaos' as his forces pull back
Syrian government forces began withdrawing from a restive southern province as president Ahmed al-Sharaa sought to restore calm after days of deadly sectarian clashes and Israeli strikes against the Arab state. In a hardening of his rhetoric against Syria's southern neighbour, Mr Sharaa accused Israel of seeking to foment 'endless chaos'. He said Syria faced a choice between 'open war with the Israeli entity' or handing security in the Sweida province over to factions from the country's Druze minority . 'We are not those who fear war . . . However, we prioritised the interests of Syrians over chaos and destruction,' he said during an address aired on state television on Thursday. [ Who are the Druze - and why does Israel say it is striking Syria for their benefit Opens in new window ] 'The optimal choice at this stage was to make a careful decision to protect the unity of our homeland and the safety of its people, based on the supreme national interest.' READ MORE Sweida residents and people familiar with Mr Sharaa's decisions said government forces had begun withdrawing overnight. A wounded man receives treatment at a hospital in Syria's southern city of Sweida on Friday. Photograph: Shadi Al-Dubaisi/AFP Mr Sharaa announced the moves hours after Israel escalated its campaign of air strikes on Syria, bombing the defence ministry in the heart of Damascus and carrying out another strike near the presidential palace in the Syrian capital. The strikes on Damascus killed at least three people, according to Syrian officials. Syria's state news agency, Sana, said Israel carried out another air strike near Sweida city at around 10.45pm on Thursday. The US, which has in recent weeks recognised Mr Sharaa's government and lifted Assad-era sanctions on Syria, has sought to broker an end to this week's conflict. US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Thursday said the US 'did not support recent Israeli strikes' and 'unequivocally condemns this violence'. 'All parties must step back and engage in meaningful dialogue that leads to a lasting ceasefire,' she said, adding: 'We are engaging diplomatically with Israel and Syria at the highest levels, both to address the present crisis and reach a lasting agreement between the two sovereign states.' Bedouin fighters gather in front a burning shop. Photograph: Ghaith Alsayed/AP Israel began launching air strikes against Syrian security forces in Sweida on Monday after an eruption of fighting between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes that escalated after Syrian government forces deployed to the southern province and were drawn into the conflict. Israel said it had intervened to protect the Druze community, which it has actively sought to court, and to ensure southern Syria areas bordering the Jewish state are demilitarised. Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday said: 'That will also be our policy going forward – we will not allow Syrian army forces to enter the region south of Damascus, and will not allow any harm to the Druze.' Syria's government announced a renewed ceasefire in Sweida on Wednesday, as a previous one declared a day earlier collapsed. The latest ceasefire appeared to be holding as of Thursday morning. The fighting and Israel's strikes underscored Sharaa's struggle to stabilise and unify the fragile state eight months after he led a rebel offensive that toppled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. A damaged car and house in the Sweida countryside, southern Syria, where fighters from Bedouin tribes continued to roam on Friday. Photograph: EPA Druze militias, which have been the dominant forces in Sweida, have refused to be integrated into the nascent government's new national security forces. Israel has also used the security vacuum to seize a swath of territory in southern Syria and launch repeated strikes against military infrastructure in the Arab state. Activists described scenes of carnage in Sweida city, with government forces and Druze militias accused of killings and rights violations. In an effort to ease the spiralling crisis, Mr Sharaa stressed in his address that the Druze were integral to the Syrian state, and 'protecting your rights and freedom is one of our priorities'. He added the government had 'decided to assign some local factions and religious sheikhs the responsibility of maintaining security in Sweida'. Mr Sharaa's government has said it does not want conflict with its neighbours and had been holding talks with Israel to ease tensions before the latest outbreak of violence. Arab and Turkish officials have repeatedly criticised Israel's attacks in Syria, saying they undermine efforts to stabilise the country after the 14-year civil war. Late on Thursday evening, the foreign ministers of the Gulf states Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq issued a joint statement condemning the 'repeated' Israeli attacks and saying they 'support Syria's security, unity, stability and sovereignty, and reject all outside interferences in its affairs'. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Syrian government forces to re-enter province following renewed clashes
Renewed clashes have broken out between Druze armed groups and members of Bedouin clans in southern Syria. The clashes came as government forces were preparing to deploy again to the area on Friday after pulling out under a ceasefire agreement that halted several days of violence earlier this week, officials said. Government security forces agreed with some of the Druze factions that they would re-enter the area to impose stability and protect state institutions, according to two Syrian officials. Syrian government forces had largely pulled out of the Druze-majority southern province of Sweida after days of clashes with militias linked to the Druze religious minority that threatened to unravel the country's fragile post-war transition. The conflict drew air strikes against Syrian forces by neighbouring Israel in defence of the Druze minority before most of the fighting was halted by a truce announced on Wednesday that was mediated by the US, Turkey and Arab countries. Bedouin fighters gather in front a burning shop (Ghaith Alsayed/AP) Under that agreement, Druze factions and clerics would be left to maintain internal security in Sweida, Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Thursday. The clashes initially began between Druze militias and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes on Sunday before government forces intervened, nominally to restore order, but ended up taking the Bedouins' side against the Druze. The fighting killed hundreds of people over four days, with allegations that government-affiliated fighters executed Druze civilians and looted and burned homes. Israel intervened, launching dozens of air strikes on convoys of government fighters and striking the Syrian Defence Ministry headquarters in central Damascus in a major escalation of its involvement. The Druze form a substantial community in Israel, where they are seen as a loyal minority and often serve in the Israeli military. After the ceasefire and withdrawal of government forces, clashes once again flared between the Druze and Bedouin groups in parts of Sweida. State media reported Druze militias carried out revenge attacks against Bedouin communities, leading to a wave of displacement. The governor of the neighbouring province of Daraa said in a statement that more than 1,000 families had been displaced to the area from Sweida as a result of 'attacks on Bedouin tribes by outlaw groups'. Meanwhile, Bedouin groups arrived on Friday from other areas of Syria to join the fight. On the outskirts of Sweida, groups of them gathered in front of buildings that had been set ablaze.
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Irish Times
Who are the Druze, and why does Israel say it is striking Syria for their benefit?
Violence in Syria pitting the Islamist-led government against members of the Druze community has put a spotlight on the small but influential minority. Straddling Lebanon , Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the Druze occupy a special niche in the region's complex politics. Israel has cited protecting the Druze as a reason for attacking forces from Syria's Islamist-led government. Who are the Druze? Syria is home to the largest Druze community in the world. They number about 700,000 and constitute about 3 per cent of the population. While they are scattered across the country, the majority live in the southern Syrian province of Sweida and Jabal al-Druze, the Druze Mountain. READ MORE Druze are also found in Lebanon (300,000), Jordan, Israel, Palestine and the Israeli-occupied and annexed Syrian Golan Heights where most of the 20,000 Druze retain Syrian nationality. Druze have played important roles in the independence movements in Syria and Lebanon and in politics after these states emerged from French rule. Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, headed by Walid Jumblatt, remains a key player on the political scene. Druze have also emigrated to the US, UK and Latin America. International lawyer Amal Alamuddin, actor George Clooney's wife, is of Druze and Sunni background. What links do they have with Israel? About 150,000 live in Israel and the Israeli-occupied and annexed Golan Heights. Those who have lived in Israel since its founding in 1948 are citizens and many have served in the Israeli army and Knesset. Druze protested in 2018 when a law was adopted that defined Israel as the 'nation state' of the Jewish people despite the fact that Druze count for 1.6 per cent, and 21 per cent of Israelis are Palestinian Arabs. The Druze faith is a monotheistic non-Muslim offshoot of Shia Islam which emerged in the 11th century, believes in reincarnation and embraced aspects of Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. The faith is the third-largest in Syria. Druze are born into the faith. Conversion and apostasy are not allowed and marriage outside the faith is discouraged. What is the status of the Druze in Syria? Since the ousting of president Bashar al-Assad in December, the Druze have been divided over their approach to the Sunni fundamentalist government. Some factions have tried to negotiate a new relationship with Damascus, others resist merging their militias with the country's armed forces, while many reject the presence of Syrian security personnel and soldiers in Sweida. What's driving Israel's intervention? Israel has reached out to the Druze and the other Syrian minorities to act as their protector. However, after the imposition of the ceasefire in this week's violence, Syrian forces withdrew from Sweida, indicating that security is likely to be provided by Druze paramilitaries.
