Katz visits Druze leader, pledges expanded aid amid Syria crisis

Katz expressed deep sorrow for the violence targeting the Druze and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to its Druze citizens and their brethren across the border.

By JNS

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz met on Saturday with Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community, at his home in Julis in the Western Galilee.

The meeting, attended by senior Israel Defense Forces officials, comes in the wake of deadly attacks on Druze civilians in southern Syria’s Sweida region.

Katz expressed deep sorrow for the violence targeting the Druze and reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to its Druze citizens and their brethren across the border.

He vowed that Israel would not permit further harm to the Druze in Syria and highlighted recent Israeli actions aimed at halting the bloodshed, including strikes on key Syrian regime sites.

In coordination with Druze IDF reservists who operate an information center tracking developments in Sweida, Katz said Israel is stepping up humanitarian and medical aid efforts for Druze communities in crisis.

He emphasized the strong ties between the IDF and the Druze emergency teams, pledging ongoing Israeli assistance for those affected by the unfolding humanitarian emergency in Syria.