Report: Syria’s Druze Mobilize to Counter ‘Hezbollah’ Advance

The Druze community has voiced its concern over the expansion of Hezbollah and Iran in the Jabal al-Arab region in Syria. (Reuters)
The Druze community has voiced its concern over the expansion of Hezbollah and Iran in the Jabal al-Arab region in Syria. (Reuters)
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Report: Syria’s Druze Mobilize to Counter ‘Hezbollah’ Advance

The Druze community has voiced its concern over the expansion of Hezbollah and Iran in the Jabal al-Arab region in Syria. (Reuters)
The Druze community has voiced its concern over the expansion of Hezbollah and Iran in the Jabal al-Arab region in Syria. (Reuters)

Residents of Jabal al-Arab in southern Syria have started to form local authorities in order to confront the danger Iran’s and Lebanon’s “Hezbollah’s” expansion in the region.

The “Arab Druze Identity Movement” (Harakat al-Hawiya al-Arabiya al-Dirziya) and “Men of Dignity” (Rijal al-Karama) group have been formed to this end. They follow in the footsteps of the “Sheikhs of Dignity” (Mashayikh al-Karama) group, which was led by Wahid al-Balous, who was killed in an explosive for leading a front that refused the deployment of Druze outside the Suweida region.

Reports from Syria said that “Hezbollah” is exploiting its control of the region that includes Jabal al-Arab in order to target the Druze community there through spreading its creed to convert the locals to the Shi’ite sect. Suweida is predominantly Druze.

Sources in Suweida told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Hezbollah” is portraying itself as a defender of the Druze in the area, but it is in fact adopting a “divide and conquer” approach. It is stoking internal disputes among the community to later exploit them in its favor.

“The party, like the Syrian regime, its attempting to bring the Druze to their knees in order to force them to fight alongside the regime,” he said.

Thousands of Druze youth had rejected military enlistment because they refused to combat their neighbors, especially in the Daraa region that lies west of Suweida.

A prominent local figure said on condition of anonymity: “We are noticing that many people have converted to Shi’ism. There is a significant number that has also volunteered to fight takfiri organizations in several regions in exchange for money.”

The Druze have been suffering from poor economic conditions since the eruption of the Syrian crisis and a local source said that “Hezbollah” is exploiting this situation.

He said: “The party is working on luring the youths to convert to ‘Hezbollah’s’ form of Shi’ism through spreading Iranian Shi’ite ideology. The religious leaders in Jabal al-Arab view this as a major danger to the Druze community because ‘Hezbollah’, through Iranian funds, is working on spreading sedition among the locals.”

He revealed that the son of a prominent local cleric adopted the “Khomeini school of Shi’ite thought.”

“This figure even posted images of himself with Shi’ite symbols. His behavior was met with rejection and criticism. Some went so far as to describe him as a traitor,” he added.

Sources meanwhile said that traditional “nabti” poets have been paid to compose poems to praise “Hezbollah” chief Hassan Nasrallah.

In addition, they revealed that over 80 acres of land have been purchased by “Hezbollah” east of the grave of great national leader Sultan Basha al-Atrash. More than 360 acres have also been purchased between the towns of Salkhad and al-Mneidra in the southernmost area of Jabal al-Arab.

A prominent figure in Suweida warned of “Hezbollah’s” purchase of land in Jabal al-Druze, especially near Atrash’ grave, which holds great significance for the Druze community. Atrash is a symbol of Syrian resistance against French colonial rule. The figure explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that Iran is attempting to corner the Druze community and merge it with the Shi’ite sect, the beliefs of the Wilayat al-Faqih in particular.

“Based on several testimonies by various social, religious and political officials, a bleak image is being painted of the situation of the Druze community in Jabal al-Arab,” he continued.

He also criticized the lack of any Arab help to that community, which he said “is caught between the jaws of the Syrian regime, ‘Hezbollah’ and Iran and between the jaws of the takfiri groups, such as al-Nusra Front and ISIS.”

Furthermore, another sign of the party’s scheme was a judge’s opening of a “library to study Druze teachings” in the predominantly Druze Jarmana neighborhood in the capital Damascus. The library is in fact a front to spread Shi’ite ideology and has nothing to do with the Druze sect.



European Powers May Restore UN Sanctions on Iran

FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
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European Powers May Restore UN Sanctions on Iran

FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa

The European troika, known as the E3, may restore UN sanctions on Iran under the snapback mechanism, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Tuesday, warning that the move could increase Tehran's suffering unless it takes a serious stance on stepping back from its nuclear program.

Speaking to the UK parliament’s foreign affairs select committee, Lammy said: “Iran faces even more pressure in the coming weeks because the E3 can snap back on our sanctions, and it’s not just our sanctions, it’s actually a UN mechanism that would impose dramatic sanctions on Iran across nearly every single front in its economy.”

“So they have a choice to make. It’s a choice for them to make. I’m very clear about the choice they should make, but I’m also clear that the UK has a decision to make that could lead to far greater pain for the Iranian regime unless they get serious about the international desire to see them step back from their nuclear ambitions,” he added.

Meanwhile, a French diplomatic source told Reuters on Tuesday that European powers would have to restore UN sanctions on Iran if there were no nuclear deal that guaranteed European security interests.

The source spoke after a call between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Lammy ahead of a Franco-British summit.

Last Thursday, France threatened “retaliatory measures” against Tehran if it persisted with new charges against a French couple held in Iran, including accusations that they spied for Israel.

Snapback Mechanism

France, Britain and Germany - the E3 – are threatening to activate the snapback mechanism that would reinstate all United Nations Security Council sanctions previously levied on Iran.

According to diplomats, the E3 countries may trigger the snapback by August if no substantial deal can be found by then. The window closes on October 18.

UN resolution 2231 allows a State Party to the agreement to address a complaint to the Security Council about significant non-performance by another JCPOA participant.

Within 30 days of receiving such a notification, the UN Security Council shall vote on a draft resolution to either maintain the termination of previous sanctions or allow them to be reimposed.

European powers are considering triggering the snapback mechanism after Iran's decision to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).