A move for control: Israel seeks to win over Syrian Druze under the pretext of protection

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi  

A group of 100 Druze sheikhs traveled from the Syrian town of Hader to Israel in Israeli buses, a visit framed by Tel Aviv as a religious pilgrimage but seen by many as a strategic move to assert control over southern Syria.  

The official purpose of the visit was to reach the shrine of Prophet Jethro (Shuaib) in Hittin with the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, calling it a historic occasion. 

Does the visit serve a larger political agenda—namely, facilitating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to maintain control over a buffer zone in southern Syria? 

While some families from the occupied Golan Heights welcomed their Syrian relatives as part of the delegation, many Druze residents of Hader voiced strong opposition, warning that the move was dangerous.  

In a bid to win over Syria's Druze community, Israel sent 10,000 food packages to Druze areas in Syria ahead of the visit and reiterated its warnings against any threats to the community. 

At the same time, Israeli authorities have been preparing large areas in the occupied Golan to employ Syrian Druze, a topic reportedly discussed during the delegation's visit.  

Despite these efforts, Israel's outreach has largely failed to sway the Druze population in the occupied Golan Heights, who have rejected Israeli citizenship since 1967 and remain wary of Tel Aviv's attempts to divide Syrians. 

Some fear that individuals within the visiting delegation could become tools for Israel's broader regional ambitions, which critics say go beyond Syria and aim to expand its influence across the Middle East under the guise of security and protection.