Families From the Druze Community Come Together Again on the Syrian Border After Three Decades Apart
In a rare and emotional scene, the heavily guarded Golan Heights frontier was opened this month, allowing Druze families separated for decades to reunite amid the ongoing conflict in southern Syria's As-Suwayda region. The clashes against the Al-Julani regime have resulted in significant violence and casualties among the Druze community.
Hundreds of Druze from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, particularly near the Druze city of Majdal Shams, gathered at the border fence over multiple days in mid-July. Many crossed briefly into Syria or received relatives crossing into Israel, seeking to reconnect with family members from the Druze communities on the Syrian side. The atmosphere at the border was often described as emotional and festive, with many hugs and tears as relatives reunited after years of separation caused by the closed border.
The background to this unusual opening is tied to the escalating violence in the Druze-majority As-Suwayda province in southern Syria. Since early July, intense fighting and massacres have taken place, reportedly leaving hundreds of Druze civilians dead in clashes involving Syrian regime forces loyal to Al-Julani and other groups. These developments alarmed the Druze population on both sides of the Golan Heights, prompting mass movements toward the border fence in hopes of seeing or rescuing family members.
The border fence, normally a rigid barrier since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel, was partially opened after Israeli military commanders decided to allow passage following growing tensions and gatherings on both sides. The Israeli army maintained a guarded but generally relaxed posture during the reunions, though some security measures were in place. Israel also stated that people living in Israel are being prevented from entering Syria, but some older Druze expressed hopes to visit their ancestral villages, such as Hader, in Syria.
The reunions are historically significant, as the communities have been divided for about 20 years by this border. The Druze flags waved in celebration represent their shared religious and cultural identity, highlighting themes of solidarity amid regional turmoil.
However, the conflict in As-Suwayda has caused Syrian Druze leaders to be divided over a ceasefire. Reports indicate that thousands of Druze crossed from Israel into Syria, while some Druze from Syria crossed into Israel. The number of Americans killed in Syria fighting has reached 35, with the conflict causing further division and unrest among the Druze community.
In response to the massacre of Druze residents, the Israeli Air Force attacked several regime targets, with local reports suggesting that senior commanders were killed in the airstrikes. The Al-Julani regime, responsible for these massacres, has entered As-Suwayda for the first time since the fall of Assad's regime, escalating the violence and causing further concern for the Druze population.
As the situation in Syria continues to unfold, the Druze family reunions at the Israel-Syria border serve as a poignant reminder of the shared history and cultural ties between the two communities, as well as the complex and urgent humanitarian challenges faced by those caught in the conflict.
- Despite the ongoing war-and-conflicts in southern Syria's As-Suwayda region, politics and general-news surrounding the Druze community have led to a rare moment of unity, as hundreds of Druze families from both Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and Syrian sides were reunited at the border, following intense fighting and massacres that left hundreds of Druze civilians dead.
- Amid the general-news of crime-and-justice, the Israeli Air Force launched airstrikes against regime targets in As-Suwayda in response to the massacre of Druze residents, while the Al-Julani regime, responsible for these massacres, has escalated the violence and caused further concern for the Druze population.
