Jerusalem: Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor aimed at providing essential food and medicine to the Druze community residing in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda. This move is intended to address the pressing needs of the Druze population amid ongoing regional tensions.

According to Anadolu Agency, Smotrich announced his proposal following a visit to an operations center in the Druze village of Julis. This center was set up by Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israel's Druze community, alongside Yasser Gadban, chairman of the Druze and Circassian Local Councils Forum. The operations center aims to maintain communication and monitor the situation of the Druze in Suwayda.

Smotrich described the current situation in Suwayda as dire, referring to a ceasefire in the area as a deceptive calm that threatens to encircle the Druze populations. He accused the Syrian government of conducting massacres against Druze civilians and criticized Western nations for what he perceives as their focus on Gaza while ignoring the crisis in southern Syria.

In his statements, Smotrich emphasized Israel's moral and humanitarian obligation to protect the Druze community in Syria. He advocated for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to facilitate the delivery of essential supplies and called for military preparedness to defend the Druze and deter future attacks by the Syrian regime.

Despite Smotrich's call for action, the geographical reality remains that Israel does not share a land border with Suwayda, complicating the logistics of establishing such a corridor.

The backdrop to these developments includes clashes that erupted on July 13 between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze groups in Suwayda. The violence escalated, leading to Israeli airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions. Although Israel justified its actions as a means of protecting Druze communities, most Druze leaders in Syria have publicly disapproved of foreign interference, expressing a commitment to maintaining a unified Syrian state. A ceasefire has been in place since earlier this month.

The context in Syria has been evolving since the ouster of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, with the new government striving to restore order across the nation.