The leader of Syria's Druze community has publicly declared that his people consider themselves an integral part of Israel. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri made the statement Tuesday amid rising tensions in the region, a day after Druze residents in southern Syria staged a demonstration in the city of As-Suwayda carrying Israeli flags.
In his declaration, al-Hijri emphasized both political and religious ties. "We are an inseparable part of the State of Israel. Even in faith, we are partners with this state, the State of Israel," he said. He added that this connection rests on historical foundations that have long bound the communities together.
Al-Hijri stressed the importance of preserving this relationship. "Therefore, it is important to us to preserve this perception and this state," he explained. He went on to discuss regional stability, saying that nations have the right to build defenses for their protection. "On a regional level, we hope that the rest of the region will follow this humanitarian step in building states in the proper way," he said, noting that Western nations—Europeans and Americans—are addressing these issues "of course through the State of Israel."
