“My fellow Druze citizens of Israel, the situation in Sweida, the situation in southwestern Syria, is very serious. The IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) is working, the Air Force is working, the other forces are working. We are working to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the regime’s gangs.”
-Benjamin Netanyahu (Present Prime Minister, Israel)
The Druze Community: A Flashpoint Trigger between Israel and Syria
The recent news of a ceasefire agreement that has been signed between the Syrian government and the Druze leadership, following drastic toning down of the relationship between the Israeli and Syrian governments, over the Druze issue, has come out at an appropriate time as a breather for the international geo-political balance. Since the past two-three days, there were a number of reports which highlighted that serious clashes have been taking place between the Druze community (militias, as termed by the Syrian government; which pledges allegiance, and obedience to the Israeli soil) and the Bedouin tribes of Syria, which escalated tensions and conflict points between the Israeli and Syrian governance apparatus.
Reportedly after hearing and countering huge losses in terms of Druze community, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) jumped into the picture and specifically targeted Syrian military establishments, government buildings in Damascus, and other important areas of Syria, to showcase their support to the Druze community. However, the airstrikes which were carried out by the IDF, heightened the tensions between both the countries, and invited calls from West Asian and other nations of the world, for a pause in escalation of hostilities. The world order is truly fragile today and the number of conflicts that are being waged in different areas of the world, have surpassed any past record.
Whether it is the Ukraine-Russia war, or the Israel-Gaza limited conflict, or the Israel-Iran tensions, or the economic warfare that is being waged by a number of nations against other smaller nations; the world today, really requires tougher mediation, and a more significant role to be played by the United Nations, whose sole purpose is to strive to maintain peace and global order- none of which, are practically possible or even slightly visible today. Nevertheless, the ceasefire mediated by the Syrian government between the local Bedouin tribes and the Druze militias comes as a relief at a time when ceasefires themselves, hold little to no significance in resolution of conflicts.
The current problem is also complicated because of the disciplined allegiance that Druze community members possess towards the Israeli soil, while inhabiting the Syrian land, leading to frequent border clashes. To really delve into what can be done to solve this issue for once and for all, one needs to be cognizant of the whole situation, per se, and realise, its tougher done than said to maintain a sustained status quo in the region. However, status quo ante is quite a routine in the geopolitical drama between Israel and Syria, over the issue of Druze community.
The Druze Community: Israeli Allegiance on the Syrian Soil
It is historically reported that the members of the Druze community call themselves Muwahiddun (translated as monotheists), and are an esoteric Arab religious group, occupying certain areas of the Levant. Well, to describe in detail, the members of the Druze faith are barely eight lakh in number spread all over the world, with more than seven lakh members residing on the Syrian land. The community derives its tenets and principles of faith, religion, and spirituality, from at-least three major religious traditions of the world, namely- Hinduism, Shia Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. However, they got completely broken away from the Shia Islam practices somewhere in the 10th or 11th century in Egypt, while they also believe firmly in eternity of the soul, reincarnation, rebirths, and principles of transmigration, and non-proselytism. This contradiction in their practices has enabled the Muslims all over the world to not to regard them as faithfuls of the Islamic religion.
While they do not believe in strict tenets of Islam such as, praying five times a day or making a definite pilgrimage to Mecca, they have, it is believed, taken a number of principles and faithful practices form different religions, which makes them a unique community group in the world. The Druze community members hold ‘Shuaib’ in the highest regard, believing him to be the same person as the biblical Jethro. According to present-day records, the Druze communities today exist in large numbers especially in Lebanon and Syria, with Mount Lebanon and Jabel-al-druze being, the literal highly inhabitant lands of the Druze. While the Druze members living in Israel have Israeli citizenship, the same is not true for the Druze inhabiting the Golan Heights area of Syria, which was annexed by Syria in 1967, however a number of Druze community members, have reached the highest offices in the Israeli Defence Forces (the term “Blood Covenant” is associated with this relationship between Israelis and the Druze).
In the entire historical period, the Druze community has faced attempts at complete eradication, or ethnic cleansing by a number of State rulers such as the Shia Fatimid Caliphate, the Sunni Ottoman Empire, and the Egypt Eyalet. Even then, the Druze community has reportedly played a major role in the Great Syrian Revolt of the 1925-27 and played a very active part in the modern Syrian politics, completely defying the small number in which they are actually present in the country. The Qalb Loze Massacare of 2015, and the 2018 attack backed by the Islamic State on the Druze city of as-Suwayda, as well as the willingness shown by the Druze community members to join forces with the Israeli government after the dramatic fall-out of the Assad government, all point out to the respective tensions that have persisted and are still persisting between the Syrian government and the Druze, with effective alignment of the Druze faith the Israeli soil. The coming up of the government backed and headed by the Hay’at Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS)Sunni extremist organisation has further complicated the whole issue matrix.
Future Prospects amidst the Druze Dilemma
Even though a ceasefire agreement has now been undertaken, it is highly unlikely that it will hold ground for a considerably longer period. And even though, Donald Trump (the present President of the United States of America) has praised, supported and recognised the Ahmed al-Sharaa government currently operating in Syria, as its rightful head, the fact remains that at some point or the other, the extremism and the tentacles of nefarious mesh comprising of money laundering, drug-antique smuggling, illegal trade and money transactions, as well as discriminatory behaviour towards the Druze- are bound to take over the fragile relationship that is shared by the al-Sharaa government with the Druze community.
Even though, Israel is striving to maintain peace in the region, it is at this point of time, at least highly unlikely that the same is going to be successful. It would definitely require concerted positive efforts as well as a huge push by international players to safeguard the very interests of the Druze community. Restraint and dialogue, therefore is going to be the two-pointed strategy in the diplomatic outreach for the Druze peace. As far as India is concerned, even though, not directly engaged, it will always be looking closely at the situation and monitoring the outcome of the ceasefire. India strives to balance her many phases of diplomatic relationships with different nations of the world, and balancing Israel as well as Syria at the same time is not going to be a cakewalk. Delhi will keep its eyes and ears open, with all options on the table, because larger global peace has never harmed anybody, and so does Delhi thinks and will do, in the near future, if the need arises.
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