Our Blood Covenant with the Druze

The IDF announces decision to act “to prevent the entrenchment of hostile elements beyond the border, protect Israeli citizens, and prevent harm to Druze civilians.”

By Michael Oren

Supporters of Israel worldwide, including a great many Jews, have little notion of who the Druze are, much less Israel’s "blood covenant" with them. Few would know that, though Arabic speaking, the Druze do not uniformly consider themselves Arabs. And while adhering to a monotheistic faith which broke away from Islam in the early Middle Ages that neither are they Muslims. Foreigners who claim to know Israel would be surprised to learn of the prominent role played by Druze in every aspect of Israeli society – not only in the military but in academia, politics, business, and the media.

Indeed the first awareness of the Druze for many outside of Israel came on July 27, 2024 with the murderous Hezbollah rocket attack on the Golan Druze village of Majdal Shams that killed 12 children. Even then, those watching the funerals from abroad might’ve been just as surprised to see the absence of Israeli flags that traditionally drape the coffins of terror victims and to learn that the majority of the roughly 30,000 Druze who live on the Golan Heights are not citizens of Israel. They fear that Israel will someday forfeit the Golan in a peace deal and so retain their Syrian citizenship.

If all of the above is not sufficiently confusing for non-Israelis, totally bewildering has been Israel’s decision to battle the Syrian army and even bomb Damascus in defense of Druze tribes located 100km from our northern border. As someone who defends Israel regularly in the foreign press, it’s challenging to describe this situation in a seven second soundbite. Already fighting on multiple fronts, people understandably ask, why would Israel want to open an additional front with a nation which purportedly seeks peace with us.

The answers nevertheless are simple. The Jewish state cherishes its relationship with the Druze community which, since 1956, has volunteered to be conscripted into the IDF. Since then Druze soldiers, policemen and security personnel have paid disproportionately for Israel’s defense. The covenant between Israel and the Druze stands as proof of Israel’s steadfastness as an ally and our unswerving respect for their traditions and family ties. Of course, Israel can do much more to ensure equal opportunities and services for our fellow Druze citizens, but the very least we can do for their embattled brethren in Syria is what Israel would do for endangered Jews anywhere.

Israel should remain open to the possibility of achieving a non-belligerency agreement, if not full peace, with the al-Sharaa government in Damascus. But the ability of that Sunni-backed regime to reconcile with Israel remains questionable, as does its ability to survive long term in a country known for violent coups. Irrespective, Syria will remain home to a large community of Druze to which Israel in keeping with our “blood covenant” must continue to protect.