The Syrian Future Movement, a political force committed to building a unified Syrian state based on the principles of justice, equality, and full citizenship, expresses its deep concern regarding the recent statements made by Hikmat al-Hijri on January 13, 2026, calling for the complete independence of the Suwaida Governorate and considering Israel the sole guarantor of this independence.
We condemn this position, which threatens the unity of Syrian territory and opens the door to foreign interventions that could deepen divisions during this sensitive transitional phase. We affirm that such calls do not represent the will of the Syrian people in all their diversity, but rather may be an exploitation of the historical grievances of the Druze community for narrow political purposes.
The Syrian Future Movement reminds everyone that the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 15, 2024, paved the way for the formation of a transitional government on January 5, 2025, with the aim of rebuilding the state on national foundations that guarantee the rights of all citizens. On April 20, 2025, an agreement was signed between representatives of the local administration in Suwayda and the interim government, aiming to integrate the province within the framework of the state while guaranteeing the cultural and administrative rights of the Druze community. However, tensions escalated on July 16, 2025, with clashes between Druze and Bedouin groups, prompting the intervention of government forces and resulting in crimes against the Druze and Bedouin. This led to an Israeli air intervention, followed in September 2025 by a statement from the Druze community in Suwayda calling for an independent entity with the right to self-determination. In October 2025, Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, the leader of the Druze in Israel, responded, warning of the dangers of secession. Tensions continued until December 2025 when the Druze community declared a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Suwayda due to shortages of supplies, culminating in the current statement that further threatens national unity.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for a clear distinction between the historical grievances of the Druze community, which have been subjected to oppression since the era of Hafez al-Assad in the 1970s and continued under his son until 2024, and the recent tragedy, and the political stances that might exploit these grievances for separatist aims.
We acknowledge the humanitarian suffering in Suwaida, including the food and fuel shortages that worsened in December 2025, but we reject turning this suffering into a tool for the fragmentation of Syria. We consider this a historical blunder that Syrians will not accept, as it threatens to repeat the tragedies of the ethnic conflicts that the country has witnessed since March 2011.
The Syrian Future Movement calls for rationality and a return to the principle of inclusive Syrian citizenship, which guarantees the protection of all citizens regardless of their ethnic or sectarian affiliations. This call is based on the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly Article 2, which prohibits discrimination based on race or religion, and Article 15, which guarantees the right to nationality without arbitrary deprivation. We urge al-Hijri and all Druze leaders to return to the national dialogue table, as stipulated in the April 20, 2025 agreement, to guarantee the rights of the Druze community within a unified state, rather than relying on external guarantors who could expose the region to greater regional risks.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on the interim government to take immediate measures to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Suwaida, including opening safe supply corridors and forming joint committees to monitor the security situation, while adhering to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I of 1977, which protects civilians in internal conflicts. We also urge international organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization, to provide urgent assistance without political interference, based on Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015, which calls for an inclusive political process in Syria that includes the protection of minorities.
The Syrian Future Movement warns of the risks of regional escalation resulting from such statements, which could encourage foreign interventions as occurred on July 16, 2025, and calls on all parties to preserve the unity of Syria as a top priority. We also call for the new Syria to be a model of peaceful coexistence, built on the principles of national unity and social justice that guarantee a secure future for all, far from any attempts at fragmentation or political exploitation.
