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Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/23/israel-covert-activities-syria-druze/
Israel Provided Syrian Druze with Rifles for Self-Defense
(Washington Post) Gerry Shih - On Dec. 17, 2024, nine days after the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad, Israeli helicopters landed in the Druze stronghold in southern Syria with humanitarian aid as well as 500 rifles, ammunition and body armor for a Druze militia called the Military Council, two former Israeli officials said. Israelis are also providing monthly payments between $100 to $200 to 3,000 Druze militiamen, two Druze officials said. The Israeli government's overarching strategy since the fall of Assad has been ensuring that a regime with the capability to threaten Israel does not emerge on its northeastern border, and officials believe Washington is naive when it accepts Ahmed al-Sharaa's insistence he has given up his extremist views. The Druze, followers of a monotheistic religion that differs from both Islam and Judaism, have played a prominent part in Israel, including by serving in senior positions in the Israeli military and government, and are therefore seen as a natural ally in Syria to many within the Israeli defense establishment. Israeli officials say that Israel has shown pragmatism by circumscribing its support for the Syrian Druze, dialing back military pressure on Syria, and giving negotiations a chance in recent months. There has also been a growing recognition within Israel that not all Druze have rallied around the Syrian Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, who has been leading calls for splintering from Damascus with Israeli help. Funds have been funneled to the Military Council in Druze-majority Sweida province via the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led militia that also maintains ties to Israel. The SDF also trained Syrian Druze, including women, in Kurdish areas in northern Syria - a relationship that continues to this day. An Israeli government official said, "Israel expects Syria to establish a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to the [border] buffer zone area, including the approaches to Mount Hermon and the summit of Mount Hermon....It is possible to reach an agreement with the Syrians, but we will stand by our principles, including permanent protection for our Druze brothers and sisters, who were massacred this summer in atrocities reminiscent of October 7th."