Druze Leader Says “Israel” Only Force That Protected Community

By Staff, Agencies

“Israel” was the only party that intervened militarily and “saved the lives of the Druze community from genocide through airstrikes that effectively stopped the massacre,” the spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, said on Tuesday.

In remarks to an "Israeli" newspaper, al-Hijri stated that relations between “Israel” and the Druze in Syria are longstanding, despite what he described as bans and systematic intimidation by Syrian authorities during the al-Assad era against any contact with "Israelis" and Zionism.

He claimed that Druze view themselves as “an inseparable part of the framework of the existence of the State of 'Israel',” warning that Syria is moving toward partition and the establishment of autonomous entities with independence.

Al-Hijri said the Druze are receiving international backing through media and human rights organizations, adding that the community is demanding not only autonomy but the creation of an independent Druze region.

Looking ahead, he asserted that “Israel” is the only actor capable of shaping future arrangements for the Druze community, stressing that the core demand is full independence, possibly preceded by a transitional phase of autonomous rule under external supervision. He described this path as essential for protecting minorities and ensuring regional stability.

Al-Hijri also described the current Syrian government as “an ISIS government created as a continuation of al-Qaeda,” claiming Druze are being targeted solely for their sectarian identity. “The only crime that caused us to be killed is that we are Druze,” he said.

He added that recent events proved the community “cannot rely on any other party for protection,” calling for the mobilization of all Druze, young and old, to defend their homes and existence amid what he described as ongoing attempts to eradicate the community since July 2025.