IDF drafts plans to defend Syrian Druze community

Israeli prime minister and defense minister order IDF to prepare to intervene in Syria to defend a Druze town outside Damascus amid attacks by the new regime.

By World Israel News Staff

The Israeli government has ordered the IDF to intervene militarily against the new Syrian regime and in defense of Syrian Druze living outside of Damascus, the capital city.

On Saturday night, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) have instructed the IDF to prepare to defend the majority-Druze town of Jaramana, following clashes between Syrian military forces and local gunmen.

A densely populated suburb of Damascus, Jaramana is predominantly Druze, with a significant Arab Christian minority.

Following the ouster of President Bashar Assad last year, multiple clashes have been reported in the Damascus area.

On Friday, fighting broke out at a checkpoint outside of Jaramana, leaving one soldier dead, according to the UK-based, anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

A day later, one person was killed and nine wounded in another flare up in Jaramana.

After the second incident, Katz threatened to intervene in defense of Syria’s Druze minority.

“We will not allow the extremist Islamic terror regime in Syria to harm the Druze,” Katz said. “We have instructed the IDF to prepare and to deliver a strong and clear warning: if the regime harms the Druze, it will be harmed by us.”

“We are committed to our Druze brothers in Israel and will do everything to prevent harm to their Druze brethren in Syria. We will take all necessary measures to ensure their security,” he said.