Syrian Druze man says ‘95% of residents’ want Israel to secure area

He described the area as being under the domination of al-Qaeda-linked groups and cited a major attack on July 15, 2025, saying that children were killed, women were raped, and there had been an effort “to harm the entire district.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A Druze resident from southern Syria has appealed publicly for Israel to assert control over the border region, releasing a video in which he asked Israelis to intervene as security conditions worsen in Suwayda and Mount Bashan.

His message, delivered as a direct address to the Israeli public, cast the situation as urgent and unsustainable.

The speaker said he was conveying the position of “95% of the residents of Suwayda and Mount Bashan” and opened his remarks with an emphatic greeting: “Good evening to the dear residents of Israel. Good evening to our Jewish brothers, my blood brothers. Brothers in history. Brothers in religion. In the great State of Israel.” He framed the appeal as an expression of longstanding ties rather than a sudden shift in sentiment.

He described the area as being under the domination of al-Qaeda-linked groups and cited a major attack on July 15, 2025, saying that children were killed, women were raped, and that there had been an effort “to harm the entire district.”

According to him, those events marked a turning point that convinced residents that they cannot secure their communities on their own.

The video then moved to a direct request: “Today we ask you not to leave southern Syria. We want you to control southern Syria.” He explained that the community is seeking “a life of mutual respect, in the respect of the Druze. And in the respect of our Jewish brothers,” portraying Israeli involvement as a path to restoring stability.

He also expressed interest in political and civil integration, saying, “We want to be Israeli citizens in your country,” before adding that the region has “resources, ideas, and capabilities” that could support joint development. He ended with a brief message: “I just want to say to the great people of Israel: Peace.”

The video prompted a response from the Pioneers of Bashan movement, which argued that accommodating hostile groups has repeatedly produced negative consequences.

Their statement said that open support from southern Syrian communities bolsters Israel’s position against external accusations of colonialism.

The group also said it intends to expand its advocacy while continuing efforts to promote Jewish settlement in the Bashan area.