Ron M.
Who are the DRUZE? Unless you are Lebanese, Israeli, or Syrian, you might not know this ethnicity. Since they are in the news and being attacked by Sunni Islamist terrorists, let's do a quick primer.. ▪️ Arabs with a unique Abrahamic religion that was originally a distant offshoot of Shia Islam. Viewed as heretical by Muslims of course, for whom everyone is heretical frankly. ▪️ Monotheistic, their prophet is Jethro / Yitro, priest of Midian, father of Zipporah; Jethro is the father-in-law of Moses in the Exodus. ▪️ Under 1 million adherents living primarily in Israel, Lebanon and Syria, making them a minority everywhere they reside. Friendly to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Their religion holds other monotheistic religions in high regard. ▪️ Druze were amongst the very 1st Arabs to ever serve in the IDF, fierce fighters of great renown. Very respected in Israeli society. ▪️ Most Syrian Druze live in Suwayda, a southern province of Syria. That is where the recent conflict and atrocities have been occurring as ISIS and Al Qaeda Sunnis (in theory part of the new Syrian regime) have carried out revenge attacks and massacres, prompting Israeli intervention. ▪️ Israel sees Druze living on the Golan Heights and Suwayda as allies, as a buffer and friendly Arab ethnicity on its borders. Druze leaders have openly pledged allegiance with Israel and have requested the Jewish State's protection.
