Druse Israelis and the Syrian Civil War

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                         

Syria has had a Civil War that came to a head in 2011 which has driven much of its population out into refugee camps in Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere.

The players in this war in Syria now  are in the southern part of DAMASCUS.  :
1. Assad's army.  Assad has been the president of Syria
2. Syrian rebels
3. Hezbollah--Iranian and Syrian sponsored Islamist terrorist group based in Lebanon.  
4. Liberal and democratic Syrian opposition
5. Resistance Axis=Syria, Iran, Hezbollah
6. Nusra Front-terrorists, small presence in south Syria of al-Qaeda
7. ISIS=less fighters than other Western backed groups here, get attention by burning people, cutting off heads
                   

Mendi Safadi, Druse politician in Likud Party of Israel

Druse Muslims are one of the minorities that are citizens of Israel. Today, approximately 800,000 Druze live in Syria, 450,000 in Lebanon, and 120,000 in northern Israel. Mendi Safadi served as chief of Staff for
                                                                           

Ayoub Kara, Druse Likud Deputy Minister of Israel

the former Likud deputy minister, Ayoub Kara, also a member of the Druse community.  .  Safadi  has been active in defending Israel.  "The Druze are Arabic-speaking citizens of Israel who serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Members of the community have attained top positions in Israeli politics and public service.  Before the establishment of the State of Israel, the Druze were not recognized as a religious community and were discriminated against by the judicial system.  They live mainly in the north of the country. "In the late 1970s, the Israeli government offered all non-Israelis living in the Golan citizenship, but until the early 21st century fewer than 10% of the Druze were Israeli citizens; the remainder held Syrian citizenship.  The Druze living in the Golan Heights are permanent residents of Israel. They hold laissez-passers issued by the Israeli government, and enjoy the country's social welfare benefits." Druze citizens are prominent in the Israel Defense Forces and in politics. The bond between Jewish and Druze soldiers is commonly known by the term "a covenant of blood. " 
                                                                             

Dr. Kamal al-Labwani of Syrian Opposition

Mendi Safadi had met with the Syrian opposition leader, Dr. Kamal Al-Labwani.  Dr. Kamal al-Labwani is a Syrian doctor and artist, considered one of the most prominent members of the Syrian opposition movement. He was released from Adra Prison, near Damascus on November 15, 2011, according to state media.  In 2014 he was able to come and visit in Israel.  " He came to Israel to meet the Syrian wounded civilians treated in Ziv Hospital and said " I visited Jerusalem , and Tel Aviv and I saw your society and your state,and I promised to write articles about this visit. We are neighbors and we could be friends.  

Safadi met with Syrian rebel leaders in Bulgaria a week and a half ago.  He has traveled to the region and met with activists and then relayed messages from them to Prime Minister Netanyahu's office.  He relayed congratulatory letters from the Syrian opposition to Israel's President-elect Reuven Rivlin in 2014. Reuven "Rubi" Rivlin is an Israeli politician and lawyer who has been President of Israel since 2014. He is a member of the Likud party.
                                                                         

Hezbollah terrorists

Syrian rebels are fighting against a new offensive in the South of Syria by the axis of the Syrian Army, Hezbollah and Iran.  These rebels are asking Israel to attack the positions of Hezbollah.
                                                                       

Street in Damascus

A Syrian rebel commander in the South vowed to wage a guerrilla war against the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Syrian government forces, who have launched a major offensive against insurgents in the border region near Israel and Jordan.  The offensive started this week and is focused in an area south of DAMASCUS that is the last foothold of the mainstream armed opposition to President Bashar Assad.  Assad as consolidated control over much of western Syria.
                                                                               

Damascus, Syria

There has been a heavy battle going on over the past few days between the forces helped by Iran, Syrian forces and Hezbollah who evidently is on their side against the Syrian opposition, reported Safadi to the Jerusalem Post.

The Syrian axis is using all means to take the area in southern Syria that borders Israel.  The rebels have succeeded in in fighting against them but have been hit hard and are suffering and have many wounded in the last few days.  This shows up in Israel as the wounded cross into Israel for medical treatment of about 2,000 so far.

Safadi was contacted by the Syrian opposition on Wednesday and asked him to tell Netanyahu that Israel should give Hezbollah and Iran another hard hit to stop their progress.
                                                                           

Free Syrian Army

The Free Syrian Army commander in southern Syria said that the Syrian allied forces (of Assad) plan to reach the Israeli border and carry out terrorist attacks.  Assad's forces are getting a lot of support from Hezbollah, Iran and Russia.  The rebels in the south are just people without an army or weapons, fighting on their own.

The Syrian Army claim that territory including 4 hills and 3 towns had been taken from insurgents who were members of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The mainstream rebels, known as the Southern Front, are not too worried about Nusra's role in the area.  This very strong effort by the state of Syria to take back the south was brought to a halt by snow.   The southern rebel alliance are guerrilla fighters.  They hit and run.  They are not trying to take over land.  They have been given support from foreign states opposed to Assad and includes small amounts of military aid, like some US-made anti-tank missiles.

Syria's North and East are being held by jihadist groups including ISIS.   These southern rebels feel they are the last bastion of the revolt against Assad.  Arab and the Western states want to see Assad gone but haven't given them any help.

Israel is only in contact with the FREE SYRIAN ARMY.  To protect Israel, they must see that the Islamists are weakened.

The Kurds in Kobani, Iraq had more weapons and military support to fight off the Islamic State.  That's what the Free Syrian Army would like to have.

Lebanon is being held hostage by Hezbollah.  It's been a part of the Lebanese government since 1992, but is regarded as an illegitimate "state within a state" that is controlled by Iran and Syria.

Resource:  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Syrian-rebels-call-on-Israel-to-bomb-Hezbollah-Iran-Syria-positions-390896
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayoob_Kara
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamal_al-Labwani
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Druze
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/israel/Contemporary_Life/Society_and_Religious_Issues/Arab-Israelis/druze.shtml
Messages From a Syrian Jew Trapped in Egypt