Druze, Syria and Israel

First Druze crossing in 50 years as Israel courts allies in Syria
Early on Friday morning, a group of Syrian men crossed into the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights through a UN-monitored buffer zone. With no diplomatic relations between Syria and Israel, Syrians crossing here would normally risk being shot or arrested.
Dozens of Syrian Druze make a rare visit to Israeli-controlled Golan Heights
Over half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel and the Golan Heights, a rocky plateau seized from Syria by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel’s 1981 annexation of the area is recognized only by the United States, with the rest of the world considering it occupied Syrian territory.
Three buses carrying Druze from Syria cross into Israeli-controlled area of the Golan Heights
The visit comes as Israel says it is supporting the minority in a country now ruled by Islamists. But many Druze have rejected its overtures, and critics accuse Israel of trying to weaken and divide Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.
In a first, Druze clerics visit Israeli shrine since 1948
Dozens of Syrian Druze clerics crossed into Israel on Friday for their community’s first pilgrimage to a revered shrine since Israel’s creation in 1948, The Times of Israel reported. On board three buses escorted by military vehicles,
Druze religious elders from Syria make historic visit to Israel
Around 100 Druze sheikhs from villages on the slope of Mount Hermon in Syria, overlooked by the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, are due to visit shrines including sites held to be the tomb of prophet Shuayb, west of Tiberias, in the Lower Galilee.
Syrian Druze cross armistice line for pilgrimage to Israel
Dozens of Syrian Druze clerics crossed the armistice line on the Golan Heights into Israel on Friday for their community's first pilgrimage to a revered shrine since Israel's creation in 1948.On board three buses escorted by Israeli military vehicles,
Group of senior Syrian Druze expected to visit Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
A group of around 100 senior figures from Syria's Druze are expected to visit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Friday, members of the community said, in a further sign of Israel's support for the minority group.
Katz says Israel will soon allow Syrian Druze to work in the Golan Heights
Announcement comes as Israeli politicians lambast Syrian transitional government for reported mass killings, urge European states to 'wake up' and stop granting regime legitimacy
Syrian Druze allowed to enter Israel, work in Golan Heights, Katz confirms
The Syrian Druze were a minority in the Assad era who mostly kept to themselves, with some past positive history with Israel.
Israel says it will let Syrian Druze workers cross into Golan Heights
The Golan Heights is home to 24,000 Druze, an Arab minority who practice an offshoot of Islam and also live in Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
Devdiscourse1h
Historic Druze Pilgrimage: Crossing Borders After Decades
In a historic moment, dozens of Syrian Druze clerics crossed into Israel for their first pilgrimage since 1948. They were set ...
Group of senior Syrian Druze expected to visit Golan Heights
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Druze from across the separation line would be allowed to enter the Golan Heights for work.
Syria’s interim president secures agreement with Druze and Kurds
Syria ’s interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa reached an agreement on Tuesday with leaders of the minority Druze community to ...