Netanyahu, Katz instruct IDF to prepare to defend Druze village in Syria

The Druze village that is currently under attack is the town of Jaramana, which is on the outskirts of Damascus.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF MARCH 1, 2025 20:08 Updated: MARCH 1, 2025 20:31

Druze people from Israel, the Golan Heights and Syria use speakers and microphones to communicate across the Syrian-Golan Heights border, after children and teens were killed at a soccer pitch by a rocket Israel says was fired from Lebanon, near Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Golan Heights (photo credit: RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF on Saturday evening to prepare to defend a Druze village in Syria which is currently under attack by Syrian forces.

The village that is currently under attack is the town of Jaramana, which is on the outskirts of Damascus, and has been targeted by Syrian rebel forces.

"We will not allow the terrorist regime of radical Islam in Syria to harm the Druze," they said in a statement. "If the regime harms the Druze, it will be harmed by us."

"We are committed to our Druze brothers in Israel to do everything to prevent harm to their Druze brothers in Syria, and we will take all necessary steps to maintain their security."

Druze have been serving in the IDF since the state was born. (credit: DRUZE VETERANS ASSOCIATION)

Israel and Syrian Druze

As a way to help the Syrian Druze community, the IDF reportedly offered for them to work in Israel earlier in the week.

Sources from southern Syria in the al-Quneitra province spoke with the Saudi news network Al-Arabiya, claiming that the IDF made "tempting offers" to the province's residents.

According to the report, sources in the al-Quneitra area claimed that the IDF offered the residents the opportunity to work within Israel during the day and return home in the evening, the same way that the Gazans were allowed to work in Israel before October 7.

"The IDF expressed to those who were offered work that it wanted to issue entry permits that would enable them to enter Israel and work there, just as it did with Palestinians who work in Israel," one southern Syrian resident said.