AKKO (Realist English). Sheikh Muafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, issued a stark warning on Monday, saying that the massacre of Druze civilians in southern Syria should serve as a wake-up call for Israel. Speaking at a security-focused conference at Western Galilee Academic College, Tarif described the escalating violence near Damascus as a case of targeted ethnic cleansing.
“We are living through a difficult and complex period,” Tarif said. “The massacre in Druze villages in Syria is horrific — and it is not over. These are deliberate terrorist attacks aimed at erasing our people.”
The conference gathered Druze leaders, Israeli security officials, and academic researchers to address both external threats and internal challenges facing the Druze community in Israel. While noting that Syrian Druze had looked to the international community after their own government failed to protect them, Tarif lamented: “That support never came.”
Reflecting on Israel’s response, Tarif said: “Much will be said about why Israel did not act. I won’t speculate, but I will remind you — two months ago, both the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister declared Israel’s commitment to the Druze in southern Syria, including support for a demilitarized zone and guarantees of their rights within the Syrian state.”
While reiterating that the Israeli Druze community does not interfere in Syria’s internal affairs, Tarif added: “We will do everything in our power to support our brothers.”
He warned that the deteriorating situation just across the border has broader national security implications. “The massacre should be a red flag for Israel. Just 90 minutes away, extremist terrorist factions are expanding their control. After October 7 and with Hezbollah’s growing presence, can Israel afford to let such threats take hold on its northern flank? A political solution must be found to ensure the safety of the Druze in Syria.”
The conference also addressed domestic issues, particularly the implications of Israel’s Nation-State Law on the Druze community’s identity and civic integration.
Prof. Nissim Ben-David, president of Western Galilee Academic College, emphasized the importance of the Druze-Israeli alliance: “This gathering comes at a pivotal moment. The blood alliance between the Druze and the State of Israel is part of our shared history. It must be honored not only in speeches, but through real partnership and commitment.”
