Syrian Druze Leader Praises Israel: Just Follow the Geopolitical Logic, Right?
When Hikmat al-Hijri, a prominent Druze spiritual leader in Syria, publically praises Israel as the sole protector of his community during 'unrest' and calls for an independent Druze entity, Al-Monitor dutifully reports it, labeling Hijri's stance 'controversial.' What's less 'controversial' in their framing is the omission of how, exactly, Syria got to this point of potential 'partition'—a
process massively accelerated by foreign interventions, including those from 'regional powers'. One needn't stretch to recall former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's 2013 comments about preferring ISIS to Iran-backed forces, or Israel's consistent strikes deep within Syrian territory, often targeting government assets. So, when a minority leader in a war-torn state, whose sovereignty has
been routinely violated by various actors, suddenly sees a clear path to autonomy with a nod to Israel, is it 'controversial' or simply the predictable outcome of a protracted regime-change playbook? One might wonder if the 'unrest' cited isn't just organic internal dynamics, but rather the fruits of a much longer game of destabilization. Funny how 'independence' always seems to be offered by the
same hands that were busy carving up the country in the first place.