Syria’s Druze Massacre Is a Wake-Up Call for Israel, Spiritual Leader Warns

The spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community, Sheikh Muafak Tarif, issued a stark warning on Monday during a high-level conference focused on Druze security in Israel: the ongoing massacre of Druze civilians in southern Syria is not just a tragedy it is a dire warning for Israel.

Speaking at Western Galilee Academic College, Sheikh Tarif addressed an audience of Druze leaders, Israeli security officials, and academic experts amid intensifying ethnic violence near Damascus. “We are in a difficult and complex period,” he said. “The massacre taking place in Druze communities in Syria is shocking to all of us and, regrettably, far from over. These are terrorist attacks aimed at ethnic cleansing.”

Sheikh Tarif noted that Syrian Druze had hoped for international intervention after their own government abandoned them. “But that did not happen,” he said, adding that while the Israeli Druze community refrains from interfering in Syrian affairs, it cannot ignore the suffering of its brethren. “We will do everything we can to support them.”

He reminded the audience that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had publicly committed to protecting the Druze in southern Syria, promising to maintain a demilitarized buffer and ensure their safety. Yet the violence has continued unabated.

“The massacre should be a red flag for Israel,” Tarif emphasized. “Just 90 minutes from here, extremist terrorist groups are gaining ground.” He questioned whether Israel, especially after the horrors of October 7 and amid growing threats from Hezbollah, can afford to allow such groups to establish a presence on its northern doorstep.

“A political solution must be reached to ensure the safety of our brothers in Syria,” he concluded, stressing the urgency of coordinated action before it’s too late.

The conference also featured panels on the implications of Israel’s Nation-State Law and its effects on the Druze community’s identity and integration. Prof. Nissim Ben-David, president of the hosting institution, called the event “a critical moment” in the enduring alliance between Israel and the Druze. “The blood alliance between the Druze and the State of Israel is rooted in our shared history and is renewed daily. It must be honored not only in rhetoric, but through acts of genuine partnership.”

With threats mounting just beyond the border, the message from the Druze leadership is clear: unity, vigilance, and decisive action are vital not only to honor past alliances but to safeguard the future.

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