Amid ongoing clashes between armed Druze militias and Syrian government forces in the city of Jaramana, near Damascus, a local Druze resident described the situation as "extremely difficult" and urged Israel to intervene "as soon as possible."
The plea follows warnings from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz against Syria’s new Islamist regime, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying Israel will not tolerate any harm to the Druze population.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa
(Photo: Abdulaziz KETAZ / AFP, Yarik Katz, AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
According to the resident, the unrest stemmed from "isolated incidents" that escalated citywide. He welcomed Israel’s warnings to the Syrian government, saying, “We don’t want to live in an Islamic state, and the situation here doesn’t allow us to.” He described dire conditions, with residents lacking water and electricity, relying on bottled drinking water, and staying up at night to protect their families.
Jaramana’s Druze community is particularly vulnerable. Unlike Druze populations in southern Syria, which are more independent and better armed, those in Jaramana—living in a mixed Druze-Christian area near Damascus—have limited means of self-defense. Following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime, Israel warned of a possible power struggle in the region, placing it under close observation.
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The resident claimed that Syria’s new leadership provides financial aid only to Sunni Muslim communities, leaving Druze residents without support. "We want Israel to intervene before it’s too late," he said, stressing the desire for peace.
A convoy of Syrian government security forces enters Jaramana, near Damascus
Regarding Syria’s broader instability, he added, "As long as the country remains unstable, unrest will continue. The situation could worsen. If a decisive resolution is not reached for the Syrian people and the southern region, disorder will persist."
However, not all Druze in Jaramana share this view. Rabea Manzar, a local resident, told Al-Jazeera, "We are Arab-Syrians, we are connected to our land, and we didn’t ask for protection from anyone. The Syrian government will respond to Netanyahu’s threats."
After days of tension, cautious calm has returned to Jaramana, with security forces loyal to the new regime deploying in the city. Local sources reported that negotiations were underway between city leaders and security officials over the surrender of weapons and the arrest of suspects linked to the recent killings of two security officers.