A site associated with the Druze community in Syria has become the center of escalating tensions between local factions, the Damascus government, Israel, and the United States, underscoring the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region.
Last Friday, social activist Atef al-Huneidi was forcibly taken from his home in al-Majdal, located in the Druze-majority Sweida district in southern Syria. Witnesses reported that armed men stormed the residence, firing live rounds and using hand grenades before detaining him and transferring him to Damascus. Reports indicate that al-Huneidi was subjected to physical abuse and threats while in custody. The activist’s detention followed his public criticism of a video statement made ten days earlier by Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri.
In the video, al-Hijri declared that the Druze community are “an inseparable part of the State of Israel” and share a common faith and history with the Jewish people. Al-Hijri maintains close ties with Druze in Israel as well as key figures within the Israeli defense establishment. His remarks were welcomed in Israel but provoked outrage among Druze in Sweida, sparking social media backlash and internal dissent.
Al-Huneidi challenged al-Hijri’s narrative, arguing that it was driven by personal motivations and lacked support within Druze religious tenets and history. He also cautioned against allowing one individual’s political stance to define the broader Druze community, which has a rich intellectual and cultural heritage.
Al-Hijri has emerged as a prominent figure resisting the authority of the Syrian government in Sweida. Over the past year, he has sought to assert control of the district through his "National Guard" militia, advocating for the establishment of an independent Druze state and rejecting integration with the central government. These tensions escalated recently when his forces blocked students from traveling to government-designated examination centers outside Sweida, demanding that exams be held within the province instead. The government had previously canceled the exams in the area due to security concerns, though local Druze officials attribute the move to al-Hijri's opposition.
The clash extends beyond local politics to broader regional and international interests. The U.S. administration, represented by Tom Barrack, former special envoy for Syria and Iraq, condemned the internal violence following al-Huneidi’s detention. Without naming al-Hijri explicitly, Barrack criticized the absence of effective governance that allowed armed groups to exert control and reiterated support for a trilateral road map between the U.S., Syria, and Jordan aimed at peacefully reintegrating Sweida under the Syrian state, protecting the Druze community’s rights.
Barrack’s comments also implicitly criticized Israel, which he has previously accused of encouraging Syria’s fragmentation to maintain regional instability. Al-Hijri’s alignment with Israel complicates Washington’s efforts to bolster Syrian state sovereignty.
The timing of al-Hijri’s assertions coincides with efforts in northern Syria to integrate Kurdish militias into the Syrian army, signaling a shift toward centralization. For now, the Druze enclave in Sweida remains a unique point of Israeli influence inside Syria, serving as a potential counterbalance to both Syrian government forces and Turkish regional ambitions.
However, analysts warn that the Druze community’s reliance on Israel for leverage is precarious. While Israel views the Druze as a strategic asset, any future diplomatic arrangements, especially those involving Washington’s push for Syrian reunification, could leave the Druze vulnerable if Israel withdraws support due to changing political calculations.
The evolving situation places the Druze at a complex crossroads between internal discord, regional power struggles, and shifting international priorities, with uncertain implications for their future autonomy and security within Syria.