Members of the Druze community near the fence separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria in July 2025 [Getty]
Israeli authorities are considering a proposal that would allow members of Syria’s Druze minority to enter the country to work amid ongoing labour shortages, particularly in the agricultural sector, the Israeli news website Ynet has reported.
The proposal would allow Syrian Druze to work on farms but would also give them vocational training in a number of fields, such as agriculture, medicine, and other professions.
Since deadly sectarian violence broke out in Syria’s Druze-majority Suweida province in July 2025, most of the province has been under the control of separatist militias opposed to the Syrian government and sympathetic to Israel.
Israel has tried to position itself as a “protector” of the Syrian Druze community while Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri recently said that Suweida province is an “integral part of Israel”.
Ynet reported that the much higher wages in Israel would provide an incentive to Syrian Druze wishing to work in Israel, pointing out that one day’s wages would be equivalent to roughly three months of wages in Syria.
The Israeli outlet also said that the country’s military was planning to allow meetings between Druze in Syria and their relatives in Israel, at designated locations near the border on the Syrian side.
After the Assad regime fell in December 2024, Israel seized land in Syria beyond the Golan Heights and has frequently launched attacks and incursions in Syria.
Israel first mooted the idea of bringing in Syrian Druze workers in April 2025, amid shortages of foreign labour caused by the Gaza War.
However the Israeli government reportedly cancelled the plan at the last minute.
The plan intended to establish a “bridge” between Israel and residents of Syrian towns between 5 and 10 kilometres from the Israeli border.
However Israeli security agencies reportedly vetoed it.
