In my post documenting the misconceptions about the recent fighting in the primarily Druze province of al-Suwayda’, I noted that it would not be reasonable to classify Hikmat al-Hijri (one of the three most senior Druze spiritual leaders) as a separatist. Rather, he has been an advocate for decentralisation and secularism in Syria.
It is clear that there is generally greater sympathy for Israel now among the Syrian Druze population.
However, following the recent events in which government forces (initially regular military and internal security forces) and then tribal militias likely receiving government support entered al-Suwayda’ and committed extensive violations against the Druze population, it is clear that there is generally greater sympathy for Israel now among the Syrian Druze population, especially given the fact that Israeli military intervention was likely an important factor in preventing government forces from overwhelming the Druze factions. On the more extreme end among those who were already sympathetic to Israel, some now declare an open wish to join the Israeli state.
This short guest post is an example of that sentiment, written by Ashraf Jamul of the ‘Joint Operations Room’ (a collection of pro-Hijri factions in al-Suwayada’). It should be emphasised that Jamul’s sentiment is not to be taken as an official statement of the room or even the particular faction he belongs to (Faz‘at Shabab al-Jabal). Nor is it to be taken as an indication of Hijri’s position. It is Jamul’s personal opinion- one that was already influenced by his prior sympathy for Israel (see my interview with him here).
I get that some supporters of the Syrian government in particular will be angered by Ashraf’s sentiment and possibly invoke it to claim there was a separatist Israeli-backed conspiracy all along. I should also add that I do not think Ashraf’s conception of Syrian Druze ‘joining’ Israel is realistic, because al-Suwayda’ is geographically separated from Israel and cannot function as a stand-alone entity.
If the Syrian government wants to prevent Druze in the country from increasingly identifying with Israel, then it needs to show that the community will be safe and not marginalised within the new Syria.
However, I would say the following to government supporters in particular: the government had an opportunity to show that the Druze of al-Suwayda’ do not need to turn to Israel for protection against potential violations by members of its own forces, and that opportunity was completely blown. The burden is on the government to win the broader trust of the Syrian Druze community, by demonstrating at minimum that there will be full accountability for what happened in al-Suwayda’ and that the violations that happened will not occur again. It will also do no good to complain of Israel’s actions in conspiratorial terms: rather, the government and their supporters need to understand that the Israeli government’s commitment to the Syrian Druze is very real, driven by Druze lobbying in Israel. Syrian Druze who are appreciative of Israel’s actions are in fact well aware of their Israeli brethren’s lobbying on their behalf. It also has to be said, as Jamul notes, that Israeli Druze have protections that they do not get in Syria: whatever complaints they might have under the Israeli state, they do not live in fear of being attacked by mobs or armed groups of different sects. In the long run, if the Syrian government wants to prevent Druze in the country from increasingly identifying with Israel, then it needs to show that the community will be safe and not marginalised within the new Syria.
Below is the guest post translated.
There are no longer solutions to be rid of the terrorist gangs that came by order of Erdoğan and the leadership of Jowlani and his gangs under various names and the participation of every filthy extremist on this land, except through joining the Israel state, which is the sole guarantee for being rid of this environment that is becoming more extremist and hostile day after day.
To those who have rotten minds and see an accusation and crime in this suggestion: I believe that the crimes we are seeing these days should be sufficient to change your minds.
You have to compare between the Druze’s life and rights in Israel, and their life in the rest of the region’s different states.
You have to acknowledge who constitutes an existential threat to the Druze and who are the allied forces helping them.
You have to think of your children’s future before lamenting a history filled with biting the feeding hand of the Druze and violation of the pact.
Published originally under the title “Guest Post: On Syrian Druze Wishing to Join Israel.”
