A delegation of more than 150 Druze dignitaries from Syria visited holy sites in Israel over the weekend. It was the first time since 1974 that such a delegation crossed the border.
Videos circulating showing a visit of a Druze delegation to holy sites in Israel for first time in 50 years. pic.twitter.com/RGQTRLjiIC
— Ohad ✡️ اوهاد ✡️ אהד (@MOhadIsrael) March 16, 2025
They came from the Druze villages in the Hader region, which is adjacent to the Golan Heights.
Their two-day visit was coordinated with the highest security and diplomatic bodies in Israel. It included a visit to holy sites, such as the Tomb of Jethro (Nabi Shu’ayb), near Karnei Hittin in the Galilee, and warm reception ceremonies with their Israeli brethren.
The delegation met with the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, and attended the dedication of a Druze prayer house in Peki’in. The dignitaries then took part in the annual “sheikhs’ march,” which promotes Druze heritage in Israel.
Druze MK Hamad Amar (Yisrael Beytenu), who received the delegation at a welcoming ceremony, spoke with The Jerusalem Post about the historic visit.
MK Hamed Amar: I hope we remain in touch forever
“It was a warm welcome,” he said. “Druze stay connected, wherever they are, like one big family. Many of those who crossed the border have immediate families on the Israeli side. They were welcomed warmly and lovingly. The encounter was very moving.”
Up until 1974, Druze delegations made a pilgrimage to the Tomb of Jethro, Amar said. But the visits came to a halt after the demilitarization agreement following the Yom Kippur War, separating families from both sides of the border and impeding religious figures from the Druze community in Syria from visiting their holy sites.
“These were, first and foremost, religious, social, and communal visits,” Amar said. “They had nothing to do with politics or what is happening in the Middle East. We just renewed a measure that existed in the past, as the holiest place for the Druze is located near Tiberias.”
The latest visit was criticized sharply by many in the Arab world who saw it as a step toward normalization, which is still an obscene word for many, Amar said.
“Many in the Arab world saw the visit in a negative way,” he said. “But 150,000 Palestinians work in Israel daily, and tens of thousands came from Gaza up until [the] October 7 [massacre]. We’ve never seen anyone make much noise about this, though. I really don’t understand what the fuss was about.”
An entirely different reality that is unfolding in Syria made the visit possible, Amar said. After years in which these visits were forbidden by the former regime, things were changing, he said.
Nevertheless, Amar was not optimistic about the current Syrian leadership.
“No matter how much some in the West try to embellish it or ignore the genocide that was committed against the Alawite community, it is ISIS who seized power in Syria,” he said. “Whitewashing this is wrong and misleading. They are an extremist ISIS regime. I hope and believe that the Druze will know how to defend themselves from them. But, if necessary, Israel should lend a hand.”
“Any clashes that start there will undoubtedly make it to our border,” he added. “We must not tolerate a similar event to October 7, nor allow ISIS to settle on our borders. This is an issue of national security for Israel, and it must not be allowed. We need to preserve ourselves as a state and as a community that is committed to each other. We should not and will not allow a similar massacre to take place.”
More visits like this should be allowed, Amar said.
“I think we will try to have more meetings,” he said. “It’s been 51 years. It was like a holiday for us. We haven’t seen our people on the other side of the border for so long, and some of us have never even met them at all.”
The Druze delegates “were all excited and moved,” he added. “Videos show sheikhs in tears. It was such an emotional meeting. It’s hard to explain. We, the Druze in Israel, were cut off from the Druze in Syria and Lebanon, and this is why this meeting was so touching.”
“Just as Jews see themselves as being committed to all Jews around the globe, so are we Druze committed to our brethren,” Amar said. “We are a peace-loving people. We do not harm anyone, and we want to live in peace. I hope we remain in touch from now on.”