A bill in the Israeli Knesset aims to grant permanent residency to the Druze of Swaida

In a dramatic legal move, the Israeli Knesset is discussing a legislative proposal aimed at granting permanent residency to the Druze of Swaida, southern Syria, by amending the Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law.

This proposal comes at a time when the Swaida crisis continues to have profound repercussions, with no solutions in sight following the violent events that took place in the province last July, which saw direct Israeli intervention against Syrian government forces.

The legislative proposal was submitted by Israeli Knesset members Afif Abed of the Likud Party and Akram Hassoun of the New Hope Party.

The aim is to grant permanent residency to Syrian Druze who wish to integrate into the State of Israel, in light of what they describe as the political persecution the Druze are facing in their homeland, Syria, under the new government led by Ahmed al Sharaa.

The two representatives linked this proposal to the economic crisis facing the Druze of Swaida, pointing to their shared religious identity with the Druze community in Israel.

The proposal’s conditions included granting permanent residency based on certain criteria, such as a family relationship with an Israeli citizen (between a Druze from occupied Palestine who holds Israeli citizenship and a Syrian Druze), or Syrians providing security service or significant civil contributions to Israel, in addition to an assessment of their personal and security background.

The proposal grants the Israeli Interior Minister the authority to decide whether to grant permanent residency to the Druze of Swaida, with the possibility of rejecting the application if he has reasonable grounds to do so.

According to MPs Abd and Hassoun, their proposal is based on the changes that have occurred in Syria, which led to a government coup and systematic persecution of the Druze.

They noted that the Druze in southern Syria constitute a natural barrier between Israel and hostile organizations and are considered an important line of defense for Israeli security in the region.

The two representatives also noted that this move aims to protect the Druze from political and security pressures in Syria, while simultaneously promoting Israeli strategic interests by establishing the Druze as a security buffer.

According to this text, the Druze in this region are considered an important component in confronting potential threats from extremist organizations.

Representatives Abd and Hassoun emphasized that this proposal doesn’t open the door to mass immigration, but rather focuses on a specific segment of the Druze population from Swaida who demonstrate loyalty and interest in integrating into Israeli society, in line with the values ​​of the State of Israel.

They also pointed to a similar model previously applied to members of the South Lebanon Army and their families, who obtained permanent residency in Israel after providing them with security support in the past.

The two representatives concluded their proposal by stating that the goal is to create a security, moral, and social capital through this measure, which doesn’t aim to attract large numbers of immigrants, but rather focuses on a specific segment of the population that aligns with Israel’s interests.