Sweida in Flames: WJWC Decries Sectarian Bloodshed and Israeli Interference

Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has voiced grave concern over the intensifying cycle of retaliatory violence in Syria’s Sweida Governorate and the concurrent escalation of Israeli military operations within Syrian territory.

According to official reports, including from the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), armed groups have carried out attacks against Bedouin civilians in Sweida city and its rural surroundings, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries, including among women and children. The violence has included the burning of homes in neighborhoods such as al-Maqous, displacing over 500 families. More than 2,000 civilians from Bedouin tribes remain under siege in the town of Shahba following the withdrawal of Syrian security forces under a local agreement with Druze leaders.

The recent bloodshed follows a spate of kidnappings and clashes between Druze and Bedouin factions, which escalated after the Syrian transitional government attempted to reassert control over the governorate. WJWC emphasized that the events reflect an urgent need for all components of Syrian society to adhere to the rule of law and for legitimate state institutions to guarantee protection for all citizens—regardless of sect or ethnicity.

In a troubling development, Israeli occupation forces have intervened militarily, citing the protection of the Druze community as justification. Over the past three days alone, more than 350 civilians have been killed or wounded in Sweida and surrounding areas during clashes involving Druze groups, government forces, and foreign interference. Israeli airstrikes reportedly accompanied the violence, under the pretext of safeguarding the Druze minority—a rationale WJWC called “unacceptable and a clear violation of international law.”

WJWC condemned Israel’s actions as a blatant attempt to exploit sectarian tensions and destabilize Syria for political ends. The organization denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public statements boasting of Israeli operations inside Syria and framing them as efforts to "save the Druze" and "dismantle the Syrian regime’s presence"—remarks the group described as incendiary and morally indefensible, particularly in light of Israel’s ongoing war on Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The organization also expressed alarm over the coordinated rhetoric from senior Israeli officials, including the defense and foreign ministers, who have vowed to intensify operations within Syria. The Israeli army chief’s orders to escalate surveillance and raids were seen by WJWC as part of a broader strategy to sow internal Syrian division and undermine the country’s sovereignty.

WJWC stressed that such acts constitute serious breaches of the UN Charter—particularly Article 2, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state—as well as the Geneva Conventions, which outlaw attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure.

The group pointed out that Israel’s military actions in Sweida are not isolated but follow a pattern of prior strikes across Syria, including in Damascus, Daraa, and Quneitra, often accompanied by civilian casualties, arbitrary detentions, and the destruction of property.

WJWC also noted the recent agreement between the Syrian government and Druze representatives, which aims to integrate Sweida into national state institutions. The accord includes provisions for the military’s return to barracks, the reactivation of civilian policing, and coordinated efforts to regulate arms and stabilize the region through legitimate state channels.

In conclusion, Women Journalists Without Chains called on all relevant actors and the international community to:

·         Support the immediate launch of transparent and independent investigations into all violations occurring in Sweida, ensuring justice for victims irrespective of their background.

·         Hold accountable all parties responsible for inciting violence or participating in criminal acts, including those perpetuating sectarian division.

·         Reinforce efforts—both domestic and international—to reestablish the Syrian state’s authority over all its territory in accordance with international law.

·         Unequivocally condemn Israel’s military incursions into Syria, which threaten to inflame a wider regional conflict.

·         Take urgent diplomatic and legal steps to halt Israeli violations, ensure respect for Syrian sovereignty, and safeguard the rights and safety of all Syrian civilians.