Israel exploits the Druze and Kurds in Syria to maintain regional instability, ensuring Syria remains weak and unable to challenge its occupation of Syrian lands.
As Syria’s reconstruction, which began after the revolution on December 8, 2024, continues at full speed, the past week has seen extraordinary developments.
The interim government, led by Ahmed al-Shara and established to restore Syria’s territorial integrity, is working to unite the country’s various armed factions under the banner of the new Syrian army. At the same time, it is lifting the sanctions and embargoes imposed during the Assad era, striving to reintegrate Syria into the international community. In doing so, the administration seeks to erase the negative legacy of the previous regime while ensuring that no ethnic, religious, or sectarian group is excluded.
Significant progress had already been made in this regard. The European Union and the United States had lifted some sanctions, while the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had reaccepted Syria into their fold. In short, the country was on the right track, and Shara had begun representing Syria on international platforms with unexpected success.
However, not everyone welcomed Syria’s recovery. Iran, which had wielded significant influence in Syria during the Assad era and is now sidelined, was particularly displeased. So was Israel, which has always preferred a weak and fragmented Syria over a strong and unified one.
Other countries may also have reservations about Syria’s emergence from 13 years of civil war and devastation. But today, we will focus solely on Israel.
Israel’s Role in Destabilizing Syria
Syria and Israel remain adversaries, having never signed a peace treaty following the Arab-Israeli wars. The 1974 Disengagement Agreement was merely a ceasefire, and Israel claimed that this agreement was voided with the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024. Subsequently, Israel crossed the ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights, seizing additional Syrian territory.
Despite Israel’s aggressive stance, the new Syrian administration—unprepared for military confrontation—has only condemned these actions and taken the issue to the UN. During a national dialogue conference bringing together different groups within Syria, Shara emphasized that the Syrian people were tired of war and sought no conflict with any nation. He also called on Israel to withdraw from occupied Syrian lands.
Then came Netanyahu’s response. The Israeli prime minister declared that Israel does not recognize the new Syrian government, will not allow the new Syrian army to control the south of the country, and will prevent the region from becoming another southern Lebanon.
Although Israel was not directly involved in the recent uprisings in Alawite-majority areas such as Latakia and Tartus, it played a significant role in spreading false claims that the new Syrian administration was committing massacres against Alawites, Druze, and Kurds.
Israel’s Involvement with the Druze and Kurds
Israel’s primary intervention in Syria’s internal affairs has been through efforts to incite unrest among the Druze in Quneitra, Suwayda, and Daraa, as well as through support for the PYD/YPG—the Syrian branch of the PKK, operating under the guise of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls the eastern and northeastern regions.
It is well known that Israel supports separatist movements and armed groups in regional countries under the pretext of national security. Israel has long backed Kurdish movements to destabilize Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and even Iran. In 2017, it was the only country to support the Kurdish independence referendum in northern Iraq. Furthermore, despite US intelligence reports confirming that the PYD/YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK, Israel has consistently pushed to strengthen its ties with the group. Israel also played a role in preventing the implementation of Trump’s 2018 decision to withdraw US troops from Syria.
Why Does Israel Support the Kurds?
Some claim that Israel’s support for the Kurds stems from the belief that they are the lost 13th tribe of the Jewish people. However, the real reason lies in the “periphery doctrine” Israel adopted in the 1950s—a strategy of forming alliances with non-Arab minorities in the region. As part of this policy, Israel established contact with the Kurds and promised to support them, portraying them as another stateless people in the region. Interestingly, maps of “Greater Kurdistan” frequently overlap with the borders depicted in so-called “Greater Israel” maps.
The ultimate goal is to divide regional states to create a pro-Israel Kurdish state. Since Israel has primarily engaged with the PKK and its affiliates, it is fair to say that its goal is to establish a de facto terrorist state in the region—one it can control while using it to pressure neighboring countries. Otherwise, Israel has no interest in supporting anyone outside its own Jewish population.
Israel’s Relationship with the Druze
Israel’s engagement with the Druze is also rooted in self-interest. Approximately 150,000 Druze live in Israel, and unlike other Arab minorities, they are subject to compulsory military service under a 1956 agreement. However, the 25,000–30,000 Druze residing in the occupied Golan Heights—who remained after Israel seized the territory—are not Israeli citizens and have no legal ties to the state.
During its occupation of southern Lebanon between 1982 and 2000, Israel established relations with some Druze factions, many of whom later migrated to Israel. Yet, Israel’s true stance toward the Druze became evident with the passage of the controversial 2018 nation-state law, which formally defined all non-Jewish minorities as second-class citizens, declared Hebrew the sole official language, and stripped other languages of their legal status.
Israel’s disregard for the Druze was also evident in 2018 when ISIS attacked Suwayda—home to 350,000 of Syria’s 700,000 Druze—killing hundreds. Despite desperate pleas from the Israeli Druze community, Israel refused to intervene and was even accused of covertly aiding ISIS.
Similarly, Israel was implicated in the deadly July 2024 attack in the Druze-majority town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, where a rocket strike killed 12 children playing football. Israel initially blamed Hezbollah and launched retaliatory strikes on Lebanon, eventually escalating into a ground invasion. However, later reports suggested that the rocket may have been fired—intentionally or accidentally—from Israeli positions.
Conclusion
So when Netanyahu claims today that the Kurds and Druze in Syria are Israel’s “natural allies” and that Israel will do everything in its power to “protect” them, take his words with a grain of salt.
Israel’s true concern is preventing Syria from becoming strong and unified—ensuring that it remains fragmented and unable to challenge Israel’s occupation of its lands.
In reality, Israel has no genuine loyalty to the Druze or Kurds. To Israel, they are merely pawns—useful as long as they serve Israeli interests, but disposable the moment they become inconvenient. Just as Palestinians have been reduced to mere “workers” in Israel’s eyes, the same fate awaits the Druze and Kurds when they outlive their usefulness.
