The Druze – Another Abrahamic Tribe in the Levant[1]
by Bart Binning, Ed.D.
An exploration of an Abrahamic Tribal Actor, largely ignored by the Western Powers in the current conflict in the Levant[2]
Introduction
Most of us know about the two primary Abrahamic Tribes in the Levant, the Arabs and the Jews, their tribes being descended from the sons of Abraham. The Arabs are descended from Ishmael, Abraham’s oldest son from his concubine Hagar. The Jews are descended from Isaac, with Abraham’s principal wife Sarah. Additionally, Abraham had a third wife, Keturah (Genesis 25), who had several sons, among them being Midian, who founded the tribe of the same name.
Going forward to the time of Moses, Jethro was a priest of Midian and was Moses’ father-in-law (Exodus 18). Jethro, was probably the world’s first management consultant, having taught Moses the skill of delegation, and creating an administrative and judicial structure for the tribe. According to the Midianite-Kenite hypothesis, the rules for worshiping Yahweh originated with the Midianite people and were adopted by the Israelites through Moses and Jethro.
Jethro is also the foremost prophet for the Druze, an Abrahamic tribe that still exists today in the Levant. One of the Druze’s holy places is the Tomb of Jethro, near the Israeli city of Tiberias, (west of the Sea of Galilee) where annual celebrations are held. The current Druze religion seems to have been formalized in the 10th and 11th centuries in Egypt during the time of the Fatimid Caliph al-Hkim bi-Amr-Allah. The core beliefs of the current Druze religion contain elements of Islam, Greek and Hindu philosophies. Although both Druze and Islamic religions are ethnically Arab and share the same Islamic roots, the Druze are considered heretics by the Muslims; historically, the Druze minorities often seek isolation and strategic alliances for protection against hostile Muslim majorities.
Modern-day Druze
The current Druze population is about 300,000 primarily existing in southern Lebanon, Southern Syria, and northern Israel, with smaller groups in Jordan and the Golan Heights. There are large diaspora communities in the United States (Southern California, Detroit, Washington DC, and Dallas-Ft Worth), as well as Toronto Canada, Venezuela, and Australia.
Unlike other Arab residents of Israel, Druze are serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and are subject to the same compulsory military conscription. To some, they are seen as being fully integrated into Israeli society. The Druze community in Israel is seen as a distinct religious entity with its own courts and spiritual leadership. However, some in the Israeli Druze community identify more closely with the Palestinian movement, and some Israelis show discrimination as they do with other Arabs.
Leadership of the Druzes in the Levant is divided between communities in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. In Lebanon, the highest religious authority is The Sheika al-Agi (Sami Al-Mona), with Walid Jumblatt being the leader of the Druze dominated Progressive Socialist Party. In Syria the highest religions authorities are Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri (advocates Druze autonomy), Sheika Yousef Jarbou (advocates closer ties with Syrian government) and Hammoud al-Hinnawi (strives for neutrality). In Israel the spiritual leader is Muwaffaq Tarif, and Druze hold elected positions in the Knesset (parliament).
Current conflicts in southern Syria have largely been led by the new president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa against ancient Druze communities. The defense of the Syrian Druze communities has been largely with support from Israel, and with minor assistance from US forces station in Syria along the Jordanian border, east of the Druze enclaves.
Implications
Just when you think you have a handle on the problem, another actor pops up complicating the issues. When considering the Kurdish (a nationality without a nation in western Iraq, eastern Syria and south-eastern Turkey: an issue for another paper) it would seem that we might have a partition of Syria before this issue is resolved.[3]
[1] The Fertal Crescent, is a historical term referring to a crescent-shaped area of the middle-east, including Iraq (Mesopotamia), Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Siani Peninsula and parts of Turkey; a broad geographic and historical region known for its role in the birth of early civilizations. The Levant is a subset of the area along the eastern Mediterranean coast and is significant as a crossroads of trade. [2] Written with the help of Google AI Mode [3] Solomon, Feliz. “Israel’s Red Lines in Syria are Drawing it Deeper into Conflict” The Wall Street Journal. July 17, 2025 at 9:00 pm ET
There are no comments published yet.