Israel reverses its position on the presence of Syrian forces south of Damascus just one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video post that his government would not stand by as Druze are massacred in Syria and while Syrian forces threaten Israel's border region.
After an estimated 600 people were killed in violent clashes between Bedouin tribes and Syrian Druze in the city of Sweida, among them some 80 civilians mostly Druze, massacred, and after renewed fighting was reported, a senior Israeli official said in a statement on Friday that Israel would allow Syrian forces to enter the area for a period of 48 hours, to deal with the ongoing instability there.
IDF bombs Syrian Defense Ministry after the massacre of Druze
After Israeli strikes in Syria, including the Syrian capital, Netanyahu said his clear policy was that the area south of Damascus, from the Golan Heights and up to the Druze Mountain, would be demilitarized.
"The Syrian regime violated our policy - demilitarization of the area south of Damascus, from the Golan to the Druze Mountain region, and protection of our Druze brothers." Netanyahu said on Thursday. "The Syrian regime, they began to slaughter Druze in an area that should be demilitarized. We could not accept this. We will not allow military forces to move south of Damascus, and we will not allow harm to the Druze."
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Prime Minister Netanyahu is a video post says Israel will not allow Druze to be massacred and demands no regime forces south of Damascus
(Photo: PMO )
He said he instructed the military to act with force. "As a result of the IDF's actions, a ceasefire came into effect and Syrian forces withdrew back to Damascus. This is important and it was achieved through strength, not through requests or through begging. Through strength," Netanyahu said in his video post. "We will not allow military forces south of Damascus and will not allow harm to come to the Druze living in Druze Mountain."
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Israeli Druze who have been watching events unfold said Israel was allowing Jihadist to enter Sweida. "How are we being deserted like this?" some asked. "Our sect will not survive under the hellish al-Sharaa regime," one Israeli member of the Druze community said. "If Israel is deserting us, we will leave. We will not live here anymore. This is a red line that is being crossed and there is no turning back."
Bedouin tribesmen prepare to launch attacks on Syria's Druze
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Israeli Druze break through the border fense with Syria during massacre of Syrian Druze
(Photo: Jalaa Marey / AFP)
Members of the Syrian opposition have claimed in recent days that it was regime forces who committed the massacre of Druze in Sweida although according to reports, the atrocities were committed by Bedouin tribes.
Regime supporters have described the Druze on social media as armed militias and claimed regime forces were there to return order.