Netanyahu reveals direct call with Syrian President Sharaa, claims he stopped Druze massacres

Netanyahu said his direct call with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa was brief and forceful, and stopped massacres of Druze in Syria. He presented the conversation as part of Israel’s promise to protect the Druze and secure their return home.

He described the call after Israel struck Syria in July 2025. The Israeli military had hit the Syrian General Staff headquarters in Damascus and a target near the Presidential Palace, following violence in Sweida. Netanyahu said those actions preceded his call and that the killing stopped afterward.

The claim came amid reports of massacres, abuse, and humiliation in Sweida, including an 80-year-old Druze man whose mustache was forcibly shaved. Netanyahu said more work remained but revealed no further details. Defense Minister Israel Katz separately warned that Sharaa could resume attacks if Netanyahu lost re-election, making the call part of a broader security claim.

The Druze are a distinct Arabic-speaking religious community whose faith emerged from Islam’s Ismaili tradition. They live mainly in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, maintaining a strong identity through family and local ties.

In Syria, many Druze live around Sweida, where July 2025 fighting produced reports of massacres and abuse. Israel’s Druze citizens are a small but prominent minority. Unlike most Arab citizens, many serve in the Israel Defense Forces, strengthening their public role.

That connection made the violence cross-border: hundreds gathered at Israel’s Syrian border, while dozens had already crossed to help relatives. Israel then struck Syrian military sites, and Netanyahu claimed a call with Ahmed al-Sharaa stopped the killings. These events fuel debates over protection, sovereignty, and the community’s future.

Clashes in Sweida, a Druze city in southern Syria, escalated in July 2025 into reported massacres, abuse, and humiliation. The violence mattered beyond Syria because it threatened civilians and stirred anger among Israel’s Druze community.

Videos showed armed men forcibly shaving Druze religious leaders’ mustaches; one showed 80-year-old Mirhaj Shaheen being abused. Israeli Druze gathered near the border, and some crossed into Syria to help, raising fears that more would follow. Israel reinforced the border to prevent further crossings and prepare for unrest among its own Druze citizens.

At the same time, the IDF struck Syria’s General Staff headquarters in Damascus, which it said directed operations and sent forces to Sweida. It also targeted a military site near the Presidential Palace, signaling pressure on Syrian authorities to stop the attacks. Netanyahu later claimed a call with Sharaa helped stop the massacre, while Katz warned attacks could resume.

Some Syrian Druze face a painful choice: they oppose violence by Syria’s new authorities, yet reject Israeli military intervention. They want protection without depending on another country or fueling a wider conflict. This matters because government attacks and foreign strikes can both threaten their security and independence.

The tension appeared after July 2025 clashes in Sweida, where reports described massacres and humiliation. Israel struck Syria’s General Staff headquarters and a target near the Presidential Palace, saying operations against Druze were managed there. Yet a senior Druze militia figure opposed this response, saying, “We do not need anyone to protect us.”

That position reflects fear that intervention could divide Syria and invite more instability. Sharaa accused Israel of weakening Syrian unity, while Israel said it acted to stop attacks. The Druze remain caught between demanding safety and defending their political independence. Any lasting solution would require local protection, accountability, and less outside escalation.

The 1974 Disengagement Agreement ended major fighting between Syria and Israel after the 1973 war. It created a separation zone on the Golan Heights and limited military forces near it, reducing the risk of renewed war.

Under the arrangement, Syrian and Israeli forces remain apart, with United Nations peacekeepers monitoring the buffer area. The agreement does not settle sovereignty over the Golan Heights; Syria still claims it, while Israel controls the area. In September 2025, Sharaa said the Golan would remain Syrian and reaffirmed commitment to the agreement. He also accused Israel of about 500 airstrikes.

The agreement therefore remains a framework, not a complete peace treaty. July 2025 Israeli strikes hit Syria’s General Staff headquarters and a target near the Presidential Palace, after violence in Sweida. These events show how quickly activity around Syria can test the arrangement, even while the agreement remains politically relevant.

State sovereignty means Syria controls its territory, security forces, and political decisions without outside control. It matters because protecting civilians can conflict with a government’s right to manage its own country.

In July 2025, clashes in Sweida produced reports of massacres and abuse against Druze. Israel struck Syria’s General Staff headquarters and a target near the Presidential Palace. Netanyahu then said he called Sharaa, and the violence stopped. Israel presents force as protection; Syria presents it as interference that weakens national unity.

That clash remains unresolved. Sharaa says the Golan is Syrian and supports the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, while rejecting Israeli “aggression.” Israel says it will act to protect Druze and return them home. Damascus must protect residents, while Israeli action risks backlash and claims of destabilization. Future communication and respect for borders will shape whether security becomes cooperation or confrontation.