Six Druze villages in southern Syria have formally requested annexation by Israel, citing fears of persecution and insecurity following the collapse of the Assad regime. The attraction displays rising issues over the rise of extremist Islamist factions in Syria and their implications for the Druze group.
The Druze Request
During a meeting held within the Jabal al-Sheikh area, Druze group leaders declared their intention to withstand the advance of jihadist forces and proposed annexation to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. This unprecedented transfer comes because the Druze, traditionally loyal to the Assad regime, face an existential dilemma beneath the brand new Sunni-dominated management in Syria.
The Druze, an esoteric monotheistic group, have lengthy adhered to a practice of allegiance to the ruling authority of the states they inhabit. This has resulted in divided loyalties for the reason that 1967 Six-Day War, with households break up throughout the ceasefire line between Syria and Israel. However, the Druze in Syria now concern for his or her security, pointing to the brutal actions of Islamist factions towards minorities in the course of the civil warfare.
Historical Context and Community Dynamics
Before the Syrian battle, the Druze inhabitants in Syria numbered roughly 700,000, accounting for 3% of the inhabitants. Concentrated within the Suwayda Governorate and round Damascus, the group additionally maintained smaller settlements in Mount Hermon and Idlib. However, the warfare considerably impacted the Druze, with massacres and terrorist assaults highlighting their precarious place.
Notable incidents embrace the 2015 bloodbath in Qalb Loze, the place 20-24 Druze had been killed, and the 2018 ISIS assault on Suwayda, which claimed a minimum of 258 lives. The warfare additionally noticed the emergence of Druze militias, akin to Jaysh al-Muwahhidin, aligned with Assad’s forces, and the Al-Jabal Brigade, which contributed to the autumn of the Ba’athist regime.
Israeli Response and Strategic Implications
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently met with Sheikh Mawafek Tarif, the religious chief of Israel’s Druze group, to debate the security of Druze populations in southern Syria. Israel has fortified its positions within the Golan Heights, together with deploying forces to Hader, a Druze village on the Syrian facet. This space is seen as a buffer towards extremist incursions.
While the Druze request highlights the group’s want for safety and reunification with relations in Israel, its implementation presents authorized and political challenges. Israel lacks a proper mechanism for annexing international territories and their populations, and such a transfer would possible draw criticism from neighbouring states and worldwide our bodies.
Broader Regional Context
The scenario within the Golan Heights is emblematic of the broader instability in Syria. The collapse of the Assad regime has left energy fragmented amongst Kurdish teams and Sunni Islamist factions. Iran, a long-time ally of Assad, seems to have scaled again its involvement, going through challenges to its regional affect and responding cautiously to latest developments.
Meanwhile, the United States is reportedly contemplating army motion towards Iran’s nuclear programme, additional complicating the geopolitical panorama. Israel, which has performed a key function in countering Iranian proxies, continues to advocate for coordinated motion with the US to handle these threats.
Image Reference:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Sheikh Mawafek Tarif, chief of the Israeli Druze group, to debate safety for Druze in southern Syria and their function in regional stability. (Source: Israel War Room, @IsraelWarRoom)
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