A delegation of Druze religious elders from Syria crossed into Israel on Friday, marking the first such visit in over 50 years and highlighting Israel’s support for the community amid rising tensions with Syria’s new government.
Around 100 Druze sheikhs from Mount Hermon villages in Syria traveled to religious sites in Israel, including the revered tomb of Prophet Shuayb near Tiberias in the Lower Galilee.
Upon entering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the elders were welcomed by Druze locals dressed in traditional attire, waving the Druze flag. Their journey continued to Julis, where they met with Mowafaq Tarif, the Druze spiritual leader in Israel.
“We feel proud and honored to be here. We are one family and brothers,” said Nazeh Rakab from Hadar, Syria, as hundreds gathered in Julis to celebrate their arrival, some firing gunshots into the air in jubilation.
The Druze, an Arab minority with a faith rooted in Islam, are spread across Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and the Golan Heights, maintaining close ties across borders. In Israel, many Druze serve in the military and police, with some reaching high ranks, including during the ongoing Gaza war.
While the visit is framed as a religious pilgrimage, its political weight is evident. Just a day earlier, Israeli airstrikes hit what it described as Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad command centers in Damascus. Israeli leaders have also voiced concerns over Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham movement, which previously had ties to Al-Qaeda.
Since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December, Israel has pushed for increased support for the Druze community. On Thursday, it sent humanitarian aid—including oil, flour, salt, and sugar—mostly to the Druze-majority Suwayda province in southern Syria.
Earlier this week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Syrian Druze would be permitted to work in the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 war. Israel has also signaled willingness to protect Druze communities in Syria if necessary.
