Tel Aviv [Israel], March 13 (ANI/TPS): Israel has dropped 10,000 humanitarian aid packages to Druze communities in southern Syria, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar disclosed on Thursday.
The Israeli military is coordinating the deliveries with Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, spiritual leader of the Israeli Druze community, the Druze Religious Council and "other regional partners," Sa'ar said.
Around 40,000 Druze live in the southern Syrian provinces of Quneitra, Da'ara and Sweida under Israeli control.
A close associate of a key Syrian Druze leader denied reports that the community reached an agreement to integrate itself into Syria's transitional government in a conversation with The Press Service of Israel on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Syrian Druze labourers are expected to begin working in the Israeli Golan on Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the demilitarization of southern Syria and protection for its Druze community on Feb. 23. An estimated 700,000-800,000 Druze live in Syria, mostly in southwestern areas near Israel and Jordan. They make up around four per cent of the Syrian population. Analysts and Israeli Druze recently told TPS-IL that Netanyahu's remarks were a major shift in Israeli policy.
Israel is preparing to allow Syrian Druze to work in the Golan Heights.
Israel sent forces into the 235 sq km buffer zone to prevent Syrian rebels from approaching the border when the regime of Bashar Assad collapsed in December. Israel also launched waves of airstrikes on Syrian army assets and Iranian stockpiles to prevent them from falling into the hands of radical Islamists. Israel considers the 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria void until order is restored in Syria. Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops will remain in the buffer zone indefinitely. (ANI/TPS)
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