Khaberni -Druze community leader Yusuf Jarbou said that the majority of the residents of the Syrian city of Sweida hope that the agreement reached with the government will restore security and stability to the city, which has been experiencing bloody confrontations for days.
After days of bloody clashes, both parties announced today, Wednesday, the reach of a ceasefire agreement in Sweida and the establishment of security barriers in it, fully integrating it into the Syrian state.
Jarbou emphasized his belief that if the agreement were subjected to a public referendum among the residents of Sweida province, the result would be majority support for it.
The agreement enjoys the support of the majority of Sweida's residents and its spiritual leaders after the recent crisis proved to them that aligning under the state's umbrella is the only way to restore security and stability, according to what Jarbou said in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Druze leader Hikmat Al-Hijri, who is engaged in clashes against governmental forces with Israeli support, rejected the announced agreement, stating that he will continue fighting "until the complete liberation of the city's soil."
Al-Hijri is weaker than the government
Al-Hijri has the support of some of Sweida's residents, but he does not represent the majority of the city, according to Jarbou, who stated that the recent clashes "confirmed the inability of the faction led by Al-Hijri to confront the governmental forces, plunging the city into chaos, killings, and destruction."
The new agreement stipulates the withdrawal of military and security forces from the city and the use of officers and personnel from within it to maintain security, where Jarbou confirmed that continued clashes mean that some people will not find anything to eat, as no one can leave their house due to the fighting.
Jarbou denounced the aggression launched by Israel on various Syrian areas under the pretext of these clashes, stating it represents an aggression against the Druze who are part of Syria.
He mentioned that some parties exploit the region's conditions in a way that negatively reflects on the Druze community, which these clashes have created a state of hostility towards them, asserting that the new agreement is good and deserves support.
However, Jarbou expressed understanding and respect for Al-Hijri's stance and said that the latter should also respect the opinion of the majority that supports the agreement with the government.
Widespread Israeli Raids
Israel widened its raids on Syria and bombed the military headquarters and the vicinity of the presidential palace under the pretext of defending the Druze, as the occupying army intensified its strikes on the Syrian forces in Sweida, bombarded sites in nearby Daraa, and deployed forces to the occupied Syrian Golan.
Damascus condemned the Israeli aggression and affirmed its right to defend its territories, demanding that the UN Security Council take urgent action to prevent Tel Aviv from targeting Syrian territories under the pretext of protecting the Druze.
The U.S. Secretary of State, Mark Rubio, also expressed concern about the Israeli strikes on Syria, explaining in his response to a question on the matter that he had just spoken to the concerned parties by phone.
