Around 20 young Druze from Syria’s Sweida province are expected to undergo an intensive, first-of-its-kind firefighting course in Israel. After completing the training, they will return home equipped with professional gear and a new fire truck, with the goal of saving lives and establishing a fire station in the Druze region across the Israeli-controlled Golan.
The initiative is led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir in coordination with Israel’s National Security Council. It will form part of a wider government plan to increase investment in the Druze community, a plan expected to be presented in the coming weeks. The program aims to strengthen humanitarian and strategic ties with the Syrian Druze, many of whom have relatives inside Israel.
Ben Gvir, whose ministry oversees Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service, said: “A fire station in Syria will provide lifesaving emergency response.”
Under the training plan, the Syrian participants—all members of the Druze community—will take part in a three-week intensive course using Israel’s most advanced firefighting simulators. They will be trained to handle complex scenarios such as burning vehicles, residential fires and commercial-center blazes, and will learn professional rescue techniques in hazardous environments.
Upon completing the course, each trainee will return to Syria with full operational gear, including urban and forest protection equipment, flame-resistant uniforms and personal rescue kits. The new fire station to be staffed in Sweida will receive a fully equipped “Saar” fire engine.
Beyond its humanitarian aims, Israel views the program as deepening strategic ties with the Druze community and their relatives across the border. “We will continue to strengthen our connection with the Druze,” Ben Gvir said, adding that this includes promoting senior Druze officers within the national security services and offering support “in any area they need.”