A delegation comprising religious leaders from the Druze community in the Mount Hermon villages of Syria entered the occupied Palestinian territories in Galilee.

The Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported today, Friday, March 14, that this visit is the first of its kind since 1974, and included religious leaders from the Golan Heights, particularly from the Druze village of Hader in the Syrian part of Mount Hermon.

The Times of Israel stated that the delegation included about 60 religious leaders and crossed the ceasefire line in Majdal Shams, in the Golan Heights, on three buses escorted by military vehicles, entering northern Israel.

The Suwayda 24 network mentioned that the delegation will participate in the annual visit to the shrine of Prophet Shoaib near Tiberias in Galilee, organized by Moafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel.

Buses entered from the Ein Tina crossing in the Golan to transport the delegation participating in the visit, under Israeli security arrangements.

The delegation is scheduled to return to Syria tomorrow, Saturday, after the completion of the visit ceremonies, which will include a meeting with religious leaders of the Druze in the occupied territories.

Moafaq Tarif stated to the Al-Hadath channel that the delegation does not include religious leaders from As-Suwayda and is limited to the villages in the region (the areas located in Quneitra and the countryside of Damascus near Mount Hermon).

Tarif considered that members of the community have the right to visit sacred places and practice their religious rituals, similar to other Islamic and Christian denominations that visit holy sites in Jerusalem, emphasizing that the visit has a religious character.

This visit represents the latest indicators of Israeli support for Druze after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024.

A few days ago, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that workers from Syria’s Druze community would soon be allowed to work in the Golan towns.

On March 7, Katz stated that Israel would defend itself against any threats in Syria, emphasizing that Israel will remain in the security areas and Mount Hermon, and will protect the communities in the Golan and Galilee.

He continued, “We will ensure that southern Syria remains demilitarized and free from threats, and we will protect the local Druze populations,” asserting that “anyone who harms them (the Druze) will face our response,” according to him.

For his part, Sheikh al-Aql, Hamoud al-Hanawi, explained that the demands of As-Suwayda are legitimate and that its positions are firm, calling for shared opinions and unified voices in As-Suwayda, considering that As-Suwayda is represented by religious bodies, the sheikhs of al-Aql, and intellectuals.

Al-Hanawi requested in a recorded message to consult everyone before communicating with the relevant authorities, stating that “the relevant authorities are open to everyone, and we must give them a sound unified opinion to meet these demands.”

Meanwhile, the Akl Sheikhdom in Lebanon warned of the dangers of participating in visits to holy sites in the occupied territories and lifted any cover from violators.

In a statement issued on Thursday, “The Akl Sheikhdom in Lebanon reiterates its warning to our Lebanese brothers, especially esteemed religious leaders, about the dangers of emotional drifting and the consequences of participating in this occasion and others, due to the legal responsibilities that fall on anyone who enters the occupied territories.”

The Sheikhdom emphasized accountability, entirely lifting any cover from anyone who violates these orientations, according to the statement.

All these movements coincided with a statement from the spiritual leader of the Druze community in As-Suwayda, Hikmat al-Hijri, who intensified his rhetoric against the new Syrian administration.