MAJDAL SHAMS, Israel – Israel’s military delivered humanitarian aid to Syria’s Druze community last week after more than 2,000 people were killed in sectarian violence. However, many Israeli Druze said it wasn’t enough, so they crossed the border to defend their relatives.
In as-Sweida, Syria, Islamist militias stormed Druze neighborhoods backed by regime forces and went on a killing spree. They butchered entire families and raided hospitals. Survivors say the carnage rivals the October 7th, 2023, Hamas slaughter of Israelis and foreign workers.
And, it’s not only the Druze. One of the most horrific reports involved Pastor Khaled Mzher of the Good Shepherd Evangelical Church in Sweida, who was murdered along with 19 family members. Their last photo was taken just days before the massacre.
Mansur Ashkar, a former member of Israeli Special Forces, told CBN News, “They killed a three-month-old baby in cold blood. They killed about 100 doctors, nurses, patients – just slaughtered them in the hospital. That’s the (Syrian) government who did that.”
Israel responded, striking regime forces, then quietly coordinated a medical aid mission to Sweida, airlifting equipment and supplies to a devastated hospital.
For Druze Israelis watching from across the Golan Heights, however, it wasn’t enough..
In Majdal Shams, which is an Israeli Druze village that’s right on the Syrian border, a border fence marks the dividing line with Syria. Beyond it, the Israel Defense Forces maintain a heavy presence inside Syria, and that’s because the Druze people – more than a thousand of them – crossed the border fence illegally, with some on foot and others in cars. Many hoped to fight the perpetrators of the massacre. Others were simply desperate to help.
Salah Rafah, an Israeli Druze, told us, “When I saw the videos about the killing of my community, I felt so angry as all of the Druze of Israel. We wanted to do something. We saw the gates (were) opened and we didn’t ask. We wanted to join the fighting. If the (Syrian) fighters want to stop, we will join. We will do what we can do. We can’t stay silent.”
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It was just about a year ago in Majdal Shams, on a soccer field, on a pleasant evening. Many young kids were playing on the field when a Hezbollah rocket landed, killing 12 young people. Everyone in the city, with a population of just 12,000, knew one of the kids, and the town is still reeling to this day.
Across the fence, more Druze children are dying. While the IDF has resecured the border and brought many of the Druze back into Israel, pressure is mounting. Residents say if Israel doesn’t intervene, they will. With family on the other side, the pain is personal.
Ashkar noted, “If the Druze in Suweida, the men, would have fallen, we would have witnessed an October 7th epic scale, apocalyptic scale, and the IDF again stopped it. So if you think about it, the only ones who actually stopped the genocide, already twice in two years, are the Israelis.”
The United Nations, though, has blasted Israel for getting involved to save the Druze.
Stéphane Dujarric, U.N. spokesman, declared, “The Secretary General is also concerned by Israel’s airstrikes on Syrian territory, and calls on Israel to refrain from violations of Syria’s independence, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity.”
Earlier this month, Israeli jets struck targets near Damascus and Sweida, including what appeared to be Syrian military headquarters. Analysts say the message is clear: Israel is drawing a red line.
Ashkar told us, “We’re not doing a favor here to the Druze. Yes, we have a blood covenant with them and we’re doing the right thing, the Jewish thing, we’re doing the humane thing and protecting, you know, our allies and innocent people. But the people who came to slaughter the Druze will tomorrow come to slaughter the Jews and the Christians and the Americans, the Europeans and anyone, the enemy of the West.”
Inside Sweida, an uneasy ceasefire has taken hold. Yet, Jihadis have not forgotten about the recent fighting, and gunmen are already returning. Residents say the pro-Damascus groups are determined to finish what they started.
“I can’t stay still watching my relatives, my people, being slaughtered, without doing anything,” Salah Rafah said. I know I don’t have the military experience, But, at least I would do the minimum I can do to help my people. I can’t see them dying and not do anything.”