Israel to continue war in Syria? Foreign minister issues statement for minorities, slams Syrian president after ceasefire

Amid raging violence in Syria’s southern province of Sweida, Israel on Saturday (July 19) dismissed a renewed pledge by Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to protect minorities, saying it is “very dangerous” to be a minority in the country. Syrian Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that the speech of Ahmed al-Shara was a display of “support for the jihadists attackers”. He termed Sharaa’s accusations against Israel based on “conspiracy theories.”

Clashes began between Druze and the Bedouin communities in the southern province of Sweida in Syria. Syrian forces who were deployed to restore peace in the region were accused of siding with the Bedouin faction. Israel bombed a key military building in Damascus, stating that they want to protect the Druze faction. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel is “committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel, and their familial and historical ties to the Druze in Syria.”

In a post on X, he said, “Bottom line: In al-Shara’s Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority — Kurd, Druze, Alawite or Christian.” His statement comes after Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a ceasefire and reiterated that it is his government’s duty to protect the minorities. “This has been proven time and again over the past six months,” Gideon Sa’ar said, adding the international community has “a duty to ensure the security and rights of the minorities in Syria and to condition Syria’s renewed acceptance into the family of nations on their protection.”

Ahmed al-Sharaa, in a televised message, said that he “received international calls to intervene in what is happening in Sweida and restore security to the country.” In the statement, the Syrian Presidency said that it is being enacted to spare Syrian blood, preserve the unity of Syrian territory, and ensure the safety of its people. Ahmed al-Sharaa also blamed Israeli intervention for the bloodshed in the region and said that it reignited tensions inside Syria. He thanked the Donald Trump-led US for its support. Sharaa also said, “The Syrian state is committed to protecting all minorities and communities in the country… We condemn all crimes committed in Sweida.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least 146 Druze fighters and 245 civilians were among those killed since Sunday. Of the dead, 165 were “were summarily executed by personnel of the defence and interior ministries,” said the Britain-based war monitor. In addition, the violence has also claimed the lives of 287 government troops and 18 Bedouin fighters, plus three Bedouin “who were summarily executed by Druze fighters”, it reported. Another fifteen government soldiers were killed in Israeli airstrikes.