Israeli Druze Leadership Calls for Crossing the Borders into Syria

SadaNews - The leadership of the Druze community in Israel issued an official statement on Wednesday, calling on all members of the community to prepare by all possible means to cross the borders to "help the slaughtered brothers in Syria."

 

The Druze leaders in Israel announced a general strike and days of anger, calling for a mass ascent to the Golan Heights, in protest against the events in Sweida where dozens of civilians were killed, amid ongoing clashes and attacks by the Syrian army and escalated Israeli airstrikes on government positions in southern Syria.

Druze leader in Israel, Muwaffaq Tarif, stated that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister, urging them to increase attacks in Sweida, and criticizing Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

In an interview with the Hebrew website Ynet, Sheikh Tarif commented on the Syrian president: "Has he changed after putting on a tie and jacket? No. He is still a murderer, and still Hamas, and still ISIS; it’s the same thing," as he described.

He added: "We spoke yesterday with the Prime Minister and Defense Minister. We continue the dialogue. I hope we can increase the attacks."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the Syrian regime must release the Druze in Sweida and withdraw its forces.

He added: "As we have clarified and warned, Israel will not abandon the Druze in Syria, and it will implement the disarmament policy that we have decided on."

Katz emphasized that "the Israeli army will continue to attack regime forces until they withdraw from the area, and will soon escalate its response to the regime if it does not understand the message."

On Tuesday, dozens of Druze citizens from Israel crossed the border into southern Syria in the Majdal Shams area of the Golan Heights, following reports of the Syrian regime's forces entering the city of Sweida.

According to Israeli sources, the number of those who breached the border fence ranged between 20 and 30 individuals. As soon as the incident occurred, Israeli soldiers were present in the area but initially decided not to intervene. Later, Israeli forces returned most of those who crossed the border back into Israeli territory.

Fierce clashes continue in the city of Sweida between Syrian security forces supported by elements from tribes and Bedouins on one side, and armed Druze on the other, amid operations of back and forth and conflicting reports regarding the control of neighborhoods in the city.

At the same time, Israeli aircraft have intensified their airstrikes in recent hours, targeting military sites of the Syrian army in the countryside of Sweida and around the Taffa airport, causing human casualties among government forces; military convoys were also targeted during their withdrawal from the city.

For their part, Syrian government forces have intensified shelling on neighborhoods in the city using heavy artillery and rocket launchers, resulting in casualties among civilians and a deterioration of the humanitarian situation, with local sources describing Sweida as a "ghost city" due to the difficulty in reaching hospitals and the lack of civilian movement.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported an increase in the death toll to more than 200 killed since the outbreak of clashes, including civilians and fighters from both sides.

On another note, Druze leaders, headed by spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hajri, renewed their call for immediate international intervention to protect the Druze from escalation and retaliation.

Source: Ynet + RT