Residents in the Druze village of Majdal Shams celebrate after the rebels took over Syria, in the Israeli Golan Heights, December 9, 2024. (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Following the viral video of Druze communities in Syria asking to be annexed by Israel, IDF officers have offered assurances to the Druze village leaders that they can offer security and protection, although saying there were no plans to take territory in Syria.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi rejected recent comments from the rebel leader, Al-Shara ( al-Jolani ), that Israel has “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria,” promising that measures would be taken to protect both the residents of Israel and the Syrian Druze villages near the border.
“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 living 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 request to be annexed has caused a great 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 has apparently said .
Despite efforts to maintain neutrality and avoid conscription during the civil war, the Syrian Druze were perceived to be 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 Assad has been overthrown.
The video shows 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.”
Israeli military officers have now met with community leaders near the Israeli border. YNet News reports that the officers reassured them that no harm would come to residents and that their daily lives would continue undisturbed.
Capt. Omer, a company commander from the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, described how the Druze villages were cooperating with security measures taken by the IDF: “I asked the village elder to collect weapons from residents after they had taken rifles from abandoned Syrian military outposts,” saying that residents complied with the request and that no unusual incidents have 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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