A prominent Druze leader in Lebanon says he will soon visit Syria to meet its interim leader as tensions simmer between members of the minority group, the war-torn country’s interim government, and Israel.
“The free Syrians must be cautious of the plots of Israel,” veteran Druze leader Walid Jumblatt says at a news conference, accusing Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of creating sectarian division and chaos in the country. “In Syria there is a plot for sabotage. There is a plot for sabotage in the region and for the Arabs’ national security.”
Syrian Druze gunmen have clashed in recent days with government security forces in the city of Jaramana, on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.
Since the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel has pushed its forces into southern Syria to create a demilitarized buffer zone. Israel’s defense ministry said Saturday that it was instructing the military to prepare to defend Jaramana and protect the Druze.
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