Netanyahu Reveals Call to Syrian President Amid Druze Massacre

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed on Thursday that he had spoken with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shar'a during a recent massacre of Druze in Syria. Speaking at a gathering with the Druze community in Yarka, Netanyahu stated, "I called him, it was a short and sharp conversation, and the massacre of the Druze stopped." He pledged to do "everything necessary to protect you, your brothers, and our brothers," adding that efforts are underway to help displaced Druze return to their homes, though "there is still work to be done, and I cannot reveal everything."

A senior Syrian government official, speaking to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), responded by asserting that the Druze are an "inseparable part of Syria's national fabric." The official rejected any attempt to politicize the issue or use it for Israeli election propaganda, claiming Israel had planned to harm the shared fabric of life in July of the previous year using an armed militia. While this plan was thwarted, the official stated, "we still see intense Israeli attempts today to destabilize the region."

The official further claimed that an "American-mediated agreement in July of last year" halted Israeli bombings, which had prevented the Syrian government from intervening to end the conflict between Druze and Bedouin. Syria, along with the US and Jordan, is working to reintegrate Suwayda into Syria under a national vision that guarantees residents' rights, security, and stability.

The massacre in Syria's Suwayda province occurred in July 2025, following the looting of a local Druze merchant, which escalated into violent clashes between armed Druze factions and Bedouin tribes. This incident happened shortly after the fall of the Assad regime and the rise of an interim government led by al-Shar'a. The article states that this provided a "pretext" for militias and the regime to launch a coordinated attack and massacre against the Druze, resulting in thousands of deaths, including women and children, with reports of summary executions and systematic rape. The events caused outrage among the Druze community in Israel, leading hundreds to breach the border fence in the Golan Heights to join the fighting and defend their villages.