TEL AVIV — The deadly sectarian clashes in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda and Israel’s subsequent military strikes in defense of the Druze living there have presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a dilemma. He finds himself squeezed by domestic pressure from Israel's small Druze community to protect its brethren in Syria and enforce Israeli red lines and reluctance to antagonize President Donald Trump, who is courting the Syrian government and pushing for an Israeli-Syrian security agreement.

Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel had adopted a clear policy of "demilitarization of the region south of Damascus, from the Golan Heights and to the Druze Mountain [Jabal al-Druze, formerly Jabal al-Arab] area, that's rule number one. Rule number two is protecting the brothers of our brothers, the Druze at the Druze Mountain."

On Friday afternoon, however, an unnamed Israeli political official told Haaretz that Israel will allow Syrian internal security forces to enter Suwayda for 48 hours. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Friday that the move comes as part of a "calculated effort to prevent further escalation along Israel’s northeastern frontier." A diplomatic official told Al-Monitor that the move was decided on after US pressure to de-escalate the situation and let the Syrian government enter the area. 

Israeli-Druze alliance