Jaramana: The Damascus suburb targeted by Israel

For nearly three months, the Israeli government has been "welcoming" the change of government in Syria with actions such as threats, airstrikes, and ground invasions. These actions have not only failed to bring stability but have also exacerbated regional tensions, drawing widespread concern from the international community.

Last weekend, Benjamin Netanyahu turned his attention to an unexpected location: Jaramana. This suburb, located 3 kilometers southeast of Damascus, has attracted heightened attention from the Israeli government, raising questions about their strategic objectives.

Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Israel Katz, claimed that Jaramana is a threatened Druze city and instructed the army to "prepare to defend" it. Katz stated last Saturday: "We will not allow the radical Islamic regime in Syria to harm the Druze. If that regime harms the Druze, we will strike it."

The Druze are a ethno-religious minority group primarily located in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, and their stance towards Israel is not uniform. Israeli Druze are known for their loyalty to the state and active military service, while Lebanese and Syrian Druze have historically embraced Arab nationalism and left-wing politics, sometimes even fighting directly against Israel.

Nevertheless, Katz had previously referred to the Syrian Druze as a "friendly population," which some viewed as another attempt by Israel to forge connections with minority groups in the region to counter its rivals. Netanyahu and Katz's latest statements regarding Jaramana were issued after local residents revealed to Middle East Eye that a minor conflict occurred last Friday between local residents and a member of the new Syrian government security forces, during which an officer was killed.

Reportedly, these disputes have been resolved, and local groups have allowed Syrian security forces to enter the area. Since then, the situation has remained stable. Makram Obeid, a Druze lawyer and member of the Jaramana Civil Action Committee, told Middle East Eye that the attack on the officer was "unacceptable" and that the perpetrator had been identified and was being tracked down.

However, Obeid stated that the issue has now become "more than just a dispute between individuals." Israel's threats have been condemned by Jaramana residents and have now "unfortunately led to accusations against us and high tension," creating a complex and potentially volatile situation.

Jaramana is a highly diverse town. While originally predominantly Druze, many Christians have moved into the city in recent decades. The town has also become home to Iraqi Christian and Muslim refugees fleeing the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. During the Syrian civil war, Syrians from neighboring areas (mainly Sunni) also sought refuge there.

With multiple waves of immigration, the once-small town eventually transformed into a city. Obeid said: "There are 1.5 million people in this area. There are no more than 150,000 Druze here. Yes, the sect leads the area and makes these patriotic statements, but our brothers here, whether Christians, Sunnis, or others, support each other. We all meet in Jaramana and solve problems."

The city is known for its vibrant atmosphere and relative acceptance of social and religious differences, boasting numerous churches, mosques, and Druze prayer sites, making it an ideal place for people to live. Obeid said: "You walk down the street and see a woman wearing a niqab, another covering her hair, another wearing almost nothing, and others wearing all sorts of fashionable clothes."

While the town has sometimes been accused of being controlled by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad, it largely remained neutral during the war and often clashed with the government. Obeid said that Assad's now-overthrown government often tried to stir up tensions in the area, but the area largely enjoyed peaceful coexistence. He said: "The former regime tried to undermine this dynamic by empowering certain people at the expense of others, only supporting certain people. Thankfully, Jaramana has this awareness. Druze elders have played an important role in maintaining security."

In recent years, residents of Jaramana have even taken to the streets to protest Assad's rule, demanding improved living conditions. Throughout the war, the town suffered from deadly car bomb attacks and occasional assaults, with the perpetrators mostly unknown, contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear.

When the Assad government fell in early December, the people of Jaramana joined their compatriots in celebration. While the security forces that once kidnapped, tortured, and killed civilians across the country have disappeared, their collapse has also created some security problems. Elias Habib, the local Greek Orthodox Archbishop and school principal, told Middle East Eye: "From the moment the former regime fell, theft began to spread in Jaramana and was quickly spread by some loose and undisciplined people."

Military bases and police stations were quickly attacked, and various weapons were looted. Habib said: "A crisis team was formed, consisting of the youth of Jaramana, from Druze brothers and Christian youth, coordinating with local and civil society to independently control security, and they have largely controlled security."

Jaramana suddenly became the focus of attention after Netanyahu made his comments. Notably, the town has rejected Israel's actions and statements regarding Syria, with residents taking to the streets last month to condemn Netanyahu's demand for demilitarization of the south. One banner read: "Israel, get out of Syria," while another stated that people do not need Israel's protection because "Syria is my shield."

In the days after Assad fled to Moscow, Israel invaded Syria. It now occupies the Golan Heights, most of which it occupied in 1967, as well as parts of Daraa, Quneitra, and rural Damascus. However, residents of Jaramana fear that Israel's focus on their town may make other Syrians wary of them.

Obeid said that Netanyahu's remarks have "unfortunately led to accusations against us and high tension." The lawyer emphasized that the Druze community has an important history as Syrians, a history that the Assad government tried to "erase, distort, and diminish," especially the history of national hero Sultan Pasha al-Atrash, who led a popular revolution against French colonial rule in the first half of the 20th century.

Archbishop Habib said that Netanyahu's statements brought back to the city's residents "the fear of returning to war, bloodshed, destruction, and the unknown." Habib added: "But this feeling did not last long because enlightened people, especially elders, religious figures, and intellectuals, realized the dangers lurking behind these statements and called on people to go to Jaramana's square to express their rejection of these statements, because we are ultimately one nation, one country, and therefore one destiny."

Obeid said that the people of Jaramana will never endorse the division of Syria and are waiting for the new government to properly form its institutions and constitution. While the city's security is largely stable, weapons are unregulated and widespread. Obeid hopes that post-Assad Syria will soon have a government, creating "a country with all colors, a civil country, with freedom as its goal."

Obeid added: "This city is loyal to its country Syria, and we reject any plan to divide it. We are ready to die for it."