{"id":1378,"date":"2025-03-09T17:39:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T17:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jagsystem.com\/"},"modified":"2025-03-09T17:39:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-09T17:39:49","slug":"druzos-sirios-podem-entrar-em-israel-e-trabalhar-nas-colinas-do-golan-confirma-katz","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/israelagora.com.br\/en\/?page_id=1378","title":{"rendered":"Syrian druze allowed to enter israel and work in Golan heights, Katz confirms"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Druze from villages in northern Israel seen in Majdal Shams, Golan Heights, near the border with Syria, April 17, 2023 (photo credit: AYAL MARGOLIN\/FLASH90)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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\r\n\t#Druso<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>

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\r\n\tSyrian Druze were a minority under Assad’s rule in Syria<\/strong><\/p>

They have generally lived in seclusion and have had a positive, if limited, relationship with Israel in the past, especially with the Israeli Druze community.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nOn Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz publicly confirmed that the country will make a major decision: allowing Syrian Druze and Circassians to cross the border to work in the Israeli part of the Golan Heights.<\/p>

\r\nThis is a surprising move, given that Israel and Syria have technically been enemies for decades.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nAllowing citizens of a hostile country like Syria to work in Israel is rare and could have major repercussions for the region.<\/p>

\r\nIt shows how rapidly the Middle East has changed in recent months.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nUntil December 7 and 8, Syria was ruled by the regime of Bashar al-Assad.<\/p>

\r\nDespite maintaining a ceasefire with Israel since 1974, the Syrian government was officially an enemy of Israel and helped Iran send weapons to Hezbollah, an armed group in Lebanon.<\/p>

\r\nIn addition, Assad’s Syria posed a direct threat due to Iranian militias, the Syrian air force, long-range missiles and even chemical weapons.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nWhen Ahmed al-Sharaa and his rebels overthrew Assad, the situation changed.<\/p>

\r\nIsrael became concerned about the possibility of a jihadist invasion, while the Syrian Druze feared being attacked or persecuted by the new government, even though al-Sharaa said he wanted peace within Syria and on its borders.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nUntrusting al-Sharaa, who has a history of ties to jihadist groups, Israel acted quickly and created a safe zone in southern Syria to avoid any risk of attack by the new Syrian government.<\/p>

\r\nThis area includes many Syrian Druze communities.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Syria\r\n<\/p>

\r\nFor the past three months, the 210th Division of the Israeli army (IDF) has been in southern Syria.<\/p>

\r\nDuring this time, Israel has tried to improve its relationship with the Syrian Druze to reassure them about its military presence and avoid conflict.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nAllowing the Syrian Druze to work in Israel, even if only in the Golan Heights, is a major step towards strengthening ties between Israel and the community.<\/p>

\r\nIt also indicates that Israel intends to remain in southern Syria for an extended period of time.<\/p>

\r\nThe announcement appears to have been made strategically, coming on the heels of a weekend of tensions in Syria, when a battle between another minority, the Alawites, and forces of the new regime left hundreds dead, including many innocent civilians.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nThese events have raised questions in the West about whether the new Syrian government is trustworthy or acceptable to the global economic system.\r\n<\/p>

\r\nLegal issues and support for the Druze\r\n<\/p>

\r\nThere is no clear international law that allows Israel to remain in Syria indefinitely.<\/p>

\r\nTherefore, the argument that the Israeli presence helps local Syrians, such as the Druze, can be used to justify the Israeli army’s continued presence in the region.<\/p>

\r\nKatz thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich for supporting this decision.<\/p>

\r\nHe also promised that Israel will protect the Syrian Druze from any threat from the new Syrian government.<\/p>

\r\nThis text has been rewritten to be clearer and easier to understand, while retaining the main ideas of the original article.

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Published in 03\/09\/2025 17h39<\/em><\/p>\r\n

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Portuguese version<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n

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Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.<\/p>\r\n\t\t

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Reference article:<\/p>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\r\n\r\n