Marwa Osman/MidEaStream

The leader of the #Druze community in #Syria, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, declared on Thursday that there is "no harmony or agreement with the authorities in #Damascus" while remaining silent of rapproachment with #Israel. Although he Druze religious authorities in Sweida have rejected any rapprochement with the Israeli occupation, Druze figures visited the occupied Golan this week for the first time in 50 years, despite a religious prohibition issued by the clerics of the Syrian village of Hadar against those participating in the visit. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri did not taken a clear stance but stated that he "will move in a direction that serves the interests of the Druze community."

Sources from the #Druze community in #Syria have indicated that a delegation of approximately 100 prominent Druze figures is preparing to visit the occupied Golan Heights this Friday. During the visit, the delegation is expected to meet with Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze in #Israel, along with other key figures from the community. They are also scheduled to visit a religious site in the region. According to Reuters, this visit is seen as the latest sign of strengthening ties between Israel and the Druze community, particularly in the wake of the ceasefire in Lebanon and the political shifts in Syria following the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad. As of now, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has not issued an official confirmation regarding the visit.