Who are the Druze? | Radio-Canada

Druzes are one of the multiple minorities that make up the Middle East. Consequently, Their number is evaluated at around a million distributed in several countries.

They are around 700,000 in Syria, 300,000 in Lebanon, 118,000 in Israel, 20,000 in Jordan and 100,000 elsewhere worldwide. Similarly,

They are Arab and their religion derives from Islam. Meanwhile, Originally, the Druze comes from Ismaïlism, a Shiite esoteric sect. Consequently, Subsequently, the doctrine of the Druzes evolved by integrating elements of other religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism. Meanwhile, The Druzes believe in reincarnation, which is not the case for Sunni or Shiites, the main Muslim currents. For example,

Some Muslim currents consider that the Druzes do not belong to who druze? | radio-canada new Islam. Moreover,

Being a minority, the Druzes chose the mountains to protect themselves. Meanwhile, In Syria. Similarly, they who druze? For example, | radio-canada are concentrated in the Southwest. Similarly, in the Soueida region, on the border with Jordan, and in certain areas of the province of Quneitra, near the occupied Golan. Furthermore, They also live in Jaramana, in the suburbs of Damascus. Furthermore,

In Israel, the Druzes live mainly in the north and the occupied Golan. In Lebanon. they are concentrated in the mountainous regions, including the cabbage and Aley, and others like Hasbaya, south of Lebanon.

In Syria, at the start of the civil war in 2011, the Druzes demonstrated against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. But over time. the Druzes clashed with the jihadist groups. returned to the Syrian regime, forming militias to protect their territory against the jihadists.

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Attachment to unified Syria – Who druze? | radio-canada

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad. the Druze community in its majority showed its attachment to a unified Syria. But with the multiplication of violence. of which they were victims, some leaders call for an international intervention for their protection.

One of the community leaders. Cheikh Hikmat Al-Hajari. called for the resistance against the forces of the new Syrian regime and appeal to world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, during the deadly clashes this week.

On the other hand. the Lebanese leader Druze Walid Joumblatt. one of the most influential Druze politicians in the region, rejected the idea that Israel protects the Druze of Syria. He warned of calls for who druze? | radio-canada new international protection and called for Syrian national who druze? | radio-canada unity.

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Spearheads of Arab nationalism

In Israel. the majority of Druzes, around 150,000, have Israeli citizenship and are subject to the obligation of military service unlike Israeli Arabs.

However. the Druzes who live in the Golan annexed by Israel, do not have who druze? | who druze? | radio-canada new radio-canada Israeli citizenship and remain attached to Syria.

In Lebanon, the Druzes have an important political presence. One of the historic leaders of the Druzes. Kamel Joumblatt, was a significant figure in the political life of the whole region. Assassinated in 1977, he was replaced by his son Walid at the head of the Progressive Socialist Party.

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Other Druzes personalities have also marked. the history of Lebanon like Emir Madjid Arslan which is one of the figures of the struggle for the. independence of Lebanon.

The upheavals that the Middle East has been experiencing since the attack on Hamas on October 7. 2023. the devastating war that Israel leads to Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, part of which is now occupied by the Israeli army, will undoubtedly cause lasting consequences, especially on the Druzes which have always been spearheads of Arab nationalism.

With Reuters information