Leaders from the Druze village of Hader, on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, have publicly called for annexation to Israel as fears grow over advancing Islamist forces following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
In videos circulating on social media, a Druze leader addressed a large crowd, saying, “If we have to choose, we will choose the lesser evil – to be annexed to the [Israeli] Golan. The other evil coming our way might take our wives, our daughters, and our homes.”
🚨 Breaking: Representatives of six Druze villages in southern Syria request to be annexed to Israel 🇮🇱 and live under Israeli rule 👇pic.twitter.com/PXrzUdOuIV
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) December 12, 2024
The statement refers to the growing threat from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist group with ties to al-Qaeda, which has been moving toward Druze areas near the Israeli border. The leader added, “Bashar al-Assad left. What do we have left? Nothing.” He called on Israel to annex Hader and surrounding villages to protect the community from oppression and violence, stating that annexation would bring “freedom and dignity.”
The Druze, a religious minority, historically pledged loyalty to ruling governments to ensure their safety. Before the war, around 700,000 Druze lived in Syria, primarily in the Suwayda Governorate, Damascus, and Mount Hermon villages like Hader. However, the civil war brought attacks from extremist groups, including the 2015 massacre in Qalb Loze and the 2018 ISIS attack on Suwayda that killed over 250 people.
Hader, located near the Israeli border, has been a strategic village throughout the conflict. With Assad’s regime gone, the Druze fear persecution from Islamist factions moving into their territories.
BREAKING: The Druze leader of al-Suwayda in southwestern Syria issued a statement for his village.
“We will not agree to live under the rule of the rebels, who are identical to ISIS, we want to live under Israeli rule and become part of Israel.”
pic.twitter.com/x5y1IqSqrM— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) December 13, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly discussed the issue with Sheikh Mawafek Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community. Israel has strengthened its military positions on the Golan Heights and deployed forces near Hader.
The call for annexation poses challenges for Israel. While the Druze in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights have largely integrated into society, formally annexing Syrian villages like Hader would likely provoke international criticism.
