By Isolde Doubell27 March 2025
The Druze people, like several other ethnic groups in the Middle East, live in different countries, separated by borders drawn after the breakup of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1920s. Today, the Druze community numbers around one million members, who live primarily in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, and to a lesser extent, Jordan.
Druze in the news
The Druze have recently been in the news because, for the first time in more than 50 years, a contingent of senior religious leaders crossed the border from Syria into the Israeli-controlled territory of the Golan Heights. (The Golan Heights was captured from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed in 1981.) The Druze leaders entered the Golan Heights in three buses and were cheered by Druze in traditional black clothes and white and red headdresses, some waving Druze flags. They visited Druze religious sites and communities.
Although the visit was a religious one, it received mixed reactions mainly because of its political significance, coming just a day after Israeli airstrikes on military targets in Syria. The Israeli government has adopted a hostile stance toward the new Syrian government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, describing it as a jihadist group due to its earlier connections to Al-Qaeda.
Since December 2024, Israel has invaded the buffer zone between Syria and Israel and carried out hundreds of airstrikes, destroying much of the Syrian military’s weaponry and stockpiles—reportedly including chemical weapons—and setting up at least nine outposts along the border, many of which are in Druze villages.
Israel says it is ready to protect the Druze if necessary, and, in light of the targeted killings of other minority groups, such as Alawites and Christians, many Druze welcome Israel’s protection. There are also Druze, however, who believe Israel is only securing its border and needs to maintain good relationships with the Druze in order to do so, but nonetheless, the Druze are getting protection out of the deal. Israel has also invited agricultural and construction workers to cross into the Golan Heights for work and has provided aid to Druze villages.
Where do they live?
In Israel, the Druze are a close-knit community who are active in public life. They make up roughly 2% of the country’s population, and most live in the northern regions of Galilee, Carmel, and the Golan Heights. An estimated 150,000 Druze in Israel hold citizenship and are conscripted into the Israeli military. Many Druze have fought for Israel in its wars against Arab neighbours and the Palestinian extremists.
In fact, for more than four decades, the Israeli military had a Druze infantry unit called the Herev (or Sword Battalion). This contrasts with Israeli Arabs, who are exempt from military service. Druze women are not required to serve.
The Druze of the Golan Heights are legally entitled to either Syrian or Israeli citizenship but usually consider themselves Syrian.
Syria has the largest total population of Druze—more than 700,000 in the early 2020s. The Syrian Druze are estimated to constitute 3.2% of Syria’s population. In Lebanon, nearly 300,000 Druze (5.2% of the population) live along the western edges of the Lebanon Mountains as well as in the southeast. They have wielded significant political power in the country since its independence.
In 2021, the largest Druze communities outside the Middle East were in Venezuela (approximately 60,000) and the United States (around 50,000).
To what religion does the Druze belong?
Although their religion developed from Ismaili Shia Islam in the early 11th century in Egypt, the Druze do not identify as Muslims. Arabic culture is integral to their identity, with Arabic being their primary language. Their monotheistic religion incorporates beliefs from many sources, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and is also influenced by Greek philosophy and Hinduism—for instance, they believe in reincarnation.
They recognise seven major prophets, including Adam, Moses, Muhammad, and Jesus (whom they believe only to be the son of Joseph), but their most respected prophet is Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. The Druze follow a closed religion, with no new converts allowed since 1043, and interfaith marriages are rare and strongly discouraged. They have a strong sense of community and consider themselves related even across country borders. If a Druze becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, they are excluded from the Druze community. Despite this, INcontext partners in Syria and Lebanon have reported that there is a constant increase in Druze coming to Christ.
However, Open Doors has also reported that Druze are coming to Christ in Syria. One man relates:
“Two stories hammered my head: The woman that committed adultery and was forgiven by Jesus. God could forgive sin—any sin—even big sin. I hadn’t heard that in my religion. And secondly, the story of the lost son—I was such a lost son. And God wanted to be my Father, who loves me.”
After his conversion, this man served Jesus in a Lebanese church first.
“All my work there gave very little result. But then, God called me back to Syria, to serve Him there.”
According to him, many from a Druze background are now being saved.
Please pray with us:
- That Jesus would reveal Himself to the Druze as the Son of God and their Saviour.
- That the small community of Druze Christians would be effective witnesses to those
- around them.
- For God’s protection over the Druze community in this time of instability in the Middle East.
Resources:
https://www.britannica.com/place/Golan-Heights
https://www.britannica.com/place/Syria
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslims
