Israel must protect Syria's Druze from Sharaa, a terrorist in a suit - opinion
In the battle for the character of Syria and the region as a whole, we must choose a clear side. Not just in words but in action.
In the Middle East, where alliances shift rapidly and loyalties are tested under fire, one thing remains constant: the Druze, a proud and loyal minority, continue to face persecution, humiliation, and the threat of annihilation.
In recent weeks, we have witnessed ongoing attacks by the forces of Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), targeting Druze villages in the Idlib and Aleppo regions of Syria.
These assaults, which include assassinations, kidnappings, destruction of places of worship, and seizure of property, are not only war crimes; they also send a chilling message: Sharaa views the Druze as ideological enemies to be subdued or destroyed.
Reports from Syria speak of more than 300 murdered and at least 500 Druze taken captive.
Approximately 700,000 Druze live in Syria, representing about 3.2% of the country’s population. In Israel, there are about 150,000 Druze, 80% of whom serve in the military, according to IDF data, with 39% in combat roles.
Despite his efforts to present himself as a “civil ruler,” Sharaa is a jihadist in a suit. This is the same man who, a decade ago, led suicide attacks, beheaded captives in the name of al-Qaeda, and vowed to establish an Islamic emirate on the ruins of secular Syria.
A multi-million-dollar bounty was placed on his head.
Changing the group’s name or posing for interviews with Western journalists does not hide the simple truth: Sharaa is a terrorist whose goal is to impose extreme Sharia and eradicate anyone who does not align with his ideology.To him, the Druze are “infidels” – a weakened, rightless minority.In his Syria of tomorrow, they have no place.
The bond between the State of Israel and the Druze community is deep
LAST WEEK, following a warning strike near the presidential palace in Damascus, military targets in Syria were bombed. According to an IDF statement, the targets included “anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missile infrastructure.” Syrian reports claimed the Damascus airport was also struck by Israel Air Force jets.Later, Syria reported an additional Israeli strike, this time against a regime military base near the city of Hama.Israel is also supplying Druze deep inside Syria with aid. Over the weekend, an IAF helicopter delivered humanitarian assistance to the remote Jabal al-Druze region.
Additional medical equipment is expected to arrive based on field needs, and wounded Druze refugees fleeing Syria continue to be treated at Ziv Medical Center in Safed.
Jerusalem cannot stand idly by. A clear and unequivocal response is needed, not only for moral reasons but also due to strategic, historical, and ethical considerations.
The bond between the State of Israel and the Druze community is deep and inseparable. The Druze are not just citizens of Israel; they fight shoulder to shoulder with Jews in the IDF, contribute to society and the economy, and, in many ways, serve as a moral beacon of loyalty, responsibility, and civic partnership.This is a mutual commitment, and it does not end at the border.
Druze in the Golan Heights, Lebanon, and Syria view Israel as an anchor of stability, and at times, their last hope. If we stand aside as they are persecuted for their faith and identity, we send a dangerous message to all minorities in the region: Israel does not protect its friends.
Horrific testimonies are emerging from Syria, detailing the slaughter of Druze communities. Recently released audio recordings depict a gut-wrenching reality.
“Our brothers in Syria are being butchered in front of their wives, who are terrified,” said Druze witnesses. “They’re being slaughtered publicly – women, children, men, and the elderly – all before their eyes,” they cried out.Israel must lead a diplomatic effort and send a clear message to the Syrian regime that it will not hesitate to escalate military action if the persecution of the Druze does not cease.
Jerusalem must publicly and immediately condemn the crimes Sharaa is committing against the Druze. Israeli embassies worldwide must present the evidence, document the persecution, and place Sharaa in the same category as war criminals such as ISIS, Assad, and Hamas.Israeli silence will be interpreted as abandonment.
Through third parties, Israel must continue delivering food, medicine, and self-defense equipment to Druze populations under threat.
Options must be examined with international actors or third countries to provide temporary asylum to Druze facing immediate danger.
Even if they are absorbed in another country, Israel must be the one to initiate this and not stand by as history repeats itself.
IF IT becomes clear that Sharaa’s actions are approaching the Golan border or endangering our Druze brothers in the north, Israel must make clear it will intervene.
Extremist terror forces cannot operate freely near our borders, especially not when they target our clear allies.
Beyond the Druze issue, we must not forget: Sharaa – despite efforts to portray him as a “legitimate regional ruler” – is a ticking time bomb. Just as the world ignored ISIS in its early days, so it now ignores Syria’s president.
As long as he holds power in Damascus, he will remain a magnet for jihadists, a breeding ground for terror, and a direct threat to our neighbors – and to us.
Sharaa will not stop. He dreams of Beirut and Jerusalem. He may wear a suit, but the Syrian president carries the same dark ideology of al-Qaeda in his heart.
Sharaa embraced religion and the Salafist-jihadist ideology in his youth. In 2004, he joined al-Qaeda in Iraq and was arrested later that year by US forces, spending time in the notorious Camp Bucca detention center.During his detention, he wrote a 50-page manifesto outlining how to conduct jihad in Syria and adopted the name Abu Muhammad al-Golani, signaling his family’s origin in the Golan.
After his release, he advanced in jihadist operations, eventually becoming al-Qaeda’s operations chief in the Mosul province of Iraq.
He later founded Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, with weapons and funding from the Iraqi branch.The Jewish people cannot afford to stand by in the face of ethnic persecution, especially not of a minority whose sons defend Israel’s borders with their bodies.
In the battle for the character of Syria and the region as a whole, we must choose a clear side.Not just in words but in action.
The Druze are not alone. They are our brothers and our allies. And Israel must prove that – here and now.
The writer is the CEO of Radios 100FM, an honorary consul of Nauru, deputy dean of the Diplomatic Consular Corps, president of the Israeli Radio Communications Association, and a former IDF intelligence monitor and NBC television network correspondent.
