Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 04.05.2025
There are today around one million Druze in the world (Syria, Lebanon, and Israel), half of them in Syria. Druze refer to themselves as ‘Mowahhidoon’, which means “monotheistic”. They are commonly referred to as “Druze”, a name derived from el-Drzi, the name of one of the known preachers of the Druze religion at its beginning. They converted to their religion during al-Hakim, a Muslim caliph. Druze do not seek their own state but they are loyal to the state that governs their land. They are a military sect and they are considered to be the best warriors because they are not afraid to die.
Druze are village and mountain dwellers, attached only to their plots of land and property, harboring no separatist national aspirations. They follow a lifestyle of isolation. Conversion, both to and from their faith is forbidden. Soon after the religion was founded, they stopped making new converts and instead perpetuated themselves through their children. If a Druze man or woman becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, he or she will be excluded from the Druze community.
The religion of the Druze began in the 9th century AD, as a sect of Islam. Darazi, a preacher, and Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad, a Persian mystic, were instrumental in popularizing the religion. They announced that God had manifested himself in human form as al-Hakim Bi-amr Allah (985 or 996-1021 AD), a Muslim caliph from Cairo, Egypt. They now believe that Darazi began to distort the message; his writings are now considered blasphemous.
Druze hold the Koran to be sacred, but their religious texts are known collectively as “Kitab Al Hikma”, the book of wisdom. This is a collection of books, of which the first six are most used. They are firmly monotheistic, believing in a single God. They recognize seven major prophets, including Adam, Abraham, and Jesus (who they believe only to be the son of Joseph). Each major prophet had seven minor prophets; each of the latter had twelve disciples.
According to France 24: “The Druze community accounted for around three percent of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million, or around 700,000 people. They are concentrated in the southern province of Sweida with smaller pockets around Damascus. Druze are monotheistic and considered Muslim, but the sect is otherwise highly secretive and does not accept converts. They are viewed with suspicion by Sunni Islamist groups, who count among the ranks of Syria’s new government. In Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, there are around 150,000 Druze. Most of those in Israel hold Israeli citizenship”,[i] and they serve in the Zionist army.
During the Assad regime, “the Druze formed their armed groups during the war. Some have begun negotiations with Damascus on integration into the national army, following similar moves by armed factions elsewhere.Rayan Maarouf, chief editor of local news outlet Suwayda24, said some 400 Druze fighters had joined the defence ministry’s forces and around 500 others had joined the General Security agency”.[ii]
According to the Washington Institute, “Although Syria’s Druze are a relatively small minority community and have sought to avoid deeper involvement in the war, their strategic position in the mountainous southern region of Jabal al-Druze necessarily gives them leverage over those seeking to control the country’s future. Until fairly recently, the Sunni Arab opposition had multiple opportunities to take advantage of this leverage, since Druze loyalty toward Bashar al-Assad’s regime was minimal at best. Yet Assad has managed to exploit the community’s fears and convince them to cooperate more actively in defending the Damascus heartland” [iii]
The transitional government has promised to include the Druze, but the new 23-member government in Syria announced in late March has one Druze member, Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr. Considering the fact that the Druze are only 3% of the 23 million Syrians, it is only fair. However, the Zionists who want to break Syria to small, weak states have pushed the Druze against the government. Thus, it was only a question of time before the more sectarian Islamists, pro-government, and a pro-Israel minority among the Druze would clash.
Israel has bombed Damascus twice already under the pretext of defending the Druze. Thus, we have two wars. One between the Druze and the more sectarian Islamists, and one between Israel and Syria, which is a one-sided war of Israel against weak Syria.
According to the Jerusalem Post of May 3,
“Israel has carried out two sets of airstrikes on Syria over the last two days. In the first hours of Saturday morning the IDF said that “a short while ago, the IDF struck a military site, anti-aircraft cannons, and surface-to-air missile infrastructure in Syria.” On Friday, the IDF said “IDF fighter jets struck adjacent to the area of the Palace of Hussein al-Sharaa in Damascus. Both rounds of strikes were carried out amid tensions between Damascus and Druze in southern Syria. Israel has said it will support the Druze in Syria in the past. The IDF has said “the IDF will continue to operate as necessary to defend Israeli civilians.”Israel’s decision to use airstrikes as a policy is not new in Syria. During the Syrian civil war, Israel used airstrikes against Iranian weapons that were being trafficked via Syria to Hezbollah. These strikes also targeted Iranian entrenchment in Syria. This was a use of airstrikes as policy” [iv]
According to the Guardian: “The latest round of strikes comes after Israel killed four civilians earlier on Friday in a bombing in southern Syria and struck the vicinity of Syria’s presidential palace. Syria’s new rulers had angrily denounced the raids launched by Israel’s air force against unidentified targets near the presidential palace earlier in the day, warning of a “dangerous escalation.” Israel has said that it will protect the Druze religious minority in Syria, a declaration that most Druze leaders have rebuffed.”
Thus, we do not take the side of the minority of the pro-Israel among the Druze or the sectarian Islamists. Still, we defend the Syrian people, including the majority of the Druze and their cultural autonomy, and the HTS against the Zionist Monster without giving the HTS any political support.
Endnotes:
[i] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250430-syria-s-druze-minority-caught-between-islamist-government-and-israel
[ii] Ibid
[iii] https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/druze-and-assad-strategic-bedfellows
[iv] https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-852451