An unprecedented shift has occurred in recent years amongst the Syrian Druze, with desire for an Israeli citizenship rising remarkably.
Israel’s Channel 7 revealed that the number of applications submitted by members of the community for citizenship has increased significantly since the collapse of the former Syrian regime across large areas of the country.
The report noted that the Druze community in Golan Heights, which for decades had refused to acquire Israeli citizenship, has begun to reconsider its situation following the successive security and political developments in Syria, particularly in the Druze-majority province of Sweida.
Political Meetings in Paris
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) revealed that Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, recently visited France.
While the visit was ostensibly religious in nature, it quickly turned political.
The channel reported an informed source as saying that the US side had invited Tarif to participate in a meeting that brought together Israeli and Syrian officials, including Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani.
However, Tarif refused to participate jointly, preferring to meet separately with US ambassador Tom Barrack.
According to the report, the Syrian government has not remained passive in the face of these changes. It has intensified its attempts to communicate with Sheikh Tarif, offering him an official visit to Syria in an attempt to capitalize on his influence within Jabal al-Arab society.
The talks in the French capital focused on the tense situation in southern Syria, particularly in the Sweida Governorate, which has witnessed bloody clashes and repeated brutality by government forces.
During his meeting with the US envoy, Tarif presented a file containing documents and photos documenting what he described as “The Syrian regime’s involvement in violations against the people of the mountain (Jabal al-Arab).”
He urged the US to pressure Damascus to implement a series of humanitarian measures aimed at easing the siege imposed on Sweida and improving living conditions there.
Damascus and Tel Aviv enter a new phase
In a surprising move, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa indicated during his meeting with a visiting Arab media delegation in Damascus, that there is advanced dialogue with Israel regarding a security agreement being discussed with American support and Gulf sponsorship.
He emphasized that any agreement would be based on the ceasefire line signed in 1974, indicating Damascus’s commitment to historical principles without compromising its sovereignty.
The Syrian president explained that the ongoing negotiations with the Israeli side are now at an advanced stage, and that the chances of the agreement’s success outweigh the likelihood of its failure.
He emphasized that the potential agreement does not represent a comprehensive peace at the present time, but rather a step aimed at ensuring Syria’s security and the stability of the region.
Sharaa emphasized the need to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and reject any armed presence outside the framework of the state, indicating his intention to eliminate irregular armed groups.
An Internationally Sponsored Agreement
Israel’s Channel 12 confirmed that Israel and Syria are closer than ever to signing a new security agreement, being negotiated with US mediation and support from the Gulf states.
The channel indicated that the agreement seeks to achieve lasting stability in Syria after years of war and neutralize threats on Israel’s northern border.
Israel, however, believes the agreement holds promising security opportunities, despite the strategic challenges it entails.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
