File: Hundreds of Syrians from the Druze community of the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights demonstrate against an Israeli colonization project targeting their lands on Jun 21, 2023
Druze community leaders, spiritual authorities and prominent figures in Sweida affirmed that they are an integral part of a united Syria and that they reject any plans for division or separation.
This came in a statement issued yesterday and published by the Sweida Governorate on its official Telegram channel.
The statement was issued in the name of “the spiritual leadership of the Druze community, its religious authorities, dignitaries and the community at large.”
In their statement, they said: “We affirm our unwavering national stance, passed down to us from our forefathers and nourished by our mothers’ pure milk: we are an inseparable part of the unified Syrian homeland. Our country is our honour, our Syrianness is our dignity, and love of the homeland is part of faith. We reject division, dismemberment, or separation.”
They stressed their commitment to a Syria that includes all Syrians, free from destructive strife, sectarianism, personal grudges, or tribal vengeance, which they described as legacies of ignorance that were abolished by the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) and eradicated by Islam.
The Druze community played a decisive role in Syria’s history. In 1925, Druze leader Sultan Pasha al-Atrash led the Great Syrian Revolt against French colonial rule, paving the way for Syria’s independence. The Druze have long been pillars of Syrian nationalism and unity. Their continued persecution would not only betray their historical contribution but also risk pushing them to the brink of secession.
Syria, under the current regime of strongman Ahmed Sharaa, appears to be heading toward fragmentation. Despite his earlier promises to protect Syria’s diverse communities, Sharaa is now showing troubling signs of reverting to his extremist roots in Al Qaeda and ISIS. These shifts have heightened tensions and escalated clashes, particularly targeting the Druze and Alawite communities.
As Syria edges closer to collapse, sectarian tensions and foreign interference threaten to tear the country apart
MEM/ YL