Guest Post: On Syrian Druze Wishing to Join Israel

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.

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.