Can the leopard change its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. – Jeremiah 13:23
Several months ago Syrian President Bashar alAssad was deposed by Ahmad alSharaa. The new president has been seen in the most prestigious of political circles and recently met with President Trump in Saudi Arabia. President al Sharaa wants to normalize relations with Israel and enter into the Abraham Accords. He seeks full recognition of the new, more peaceful, reformed Syrian government….or so he says.
But who is alSharaa anyway? And why is any of this important? Going back to his youth, alSharaa was born in Syria on the East side of the Golan Heights mountain range, the border of Israel. It is inhabited mostly by Druze, Christians and Bedouins. In 2003, during the war in Iraq, he joined the rebel forces fighting US troops. He successfully implemented and took part in attacks on US military bases. Captured by the Americans as a terrorist, he spent time in the notorious Abu Ghraib Prison where he became even more radicalized upon meeting the notorious alBagdadi.
In the early 2000s, the radical Islamic extremists of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS or Daesh)under al Bagdadi (remember these names? they come back to haunt it seems) grew out an alQaeda splinter group (splitters!) In 2011, the popular peoples’ front uprising (this just sounds more and more like Monty Python, but it’s true) against the Alawhite Regime (Assad) deteriorated into Syria’s long civil war.
al Sharaa, who changed his name to Muhammad alJawlani, was chosen by alBagdadi to lead the Nusra Front, a break off of alQaeda. Splitting off from that, he formed an ISIS faction (remember them? The Jayvee Team?). During a BBC interview in 2014, with face completely covered by his kheffiyeh, his stated goals were “to completely cleanse the country (Syria) of all Alawhite, Shiite, Druze and Christian minorities.”
His rebel group split off again (do you see a pattern of tribal infighting, confusion, intolerance and disagreement here?) now calling themselves Jabhat Fateh alSham (the Syrian Conquest Front). al Sharaa tried to consolidate all the splintered- fighting groups into one larger force. One that would be more effective in vanquishing the Alawhite Assad government in Damascus. By this time he was on one of the most wanted terrorist hit lists in the United States.
Fast forward to 2025 because this just gets so confusing. The jihadist forces finally organized and armed to the hilt with Taliban procured American weapons, took Syria city by city until they reached and surrounded the Presidential Palace in Damascus. Bashar Assad and his family fled to Russia. The government was toppled. The rebels were now in charge. But this would not do on the global scene. What to do?
AlJawlani decided to shed the jihadist look and trade out his warlord persona for a more refined, more Westernized version of himself. He underwent a “radical makeover” cutting his hair and donning a suit and tie. Of course, this plus another name change back to alSharaa made him a completely new person. Not only did he change his clothes and his name, but his whole outlook on governance shifted radically. Gone was the terrorist. Gone was the warlord. Gone was the radical jihadist hell bent on massacring infidels.
In recent interviews, he actually renounced some of the more strict Muslim law,s calling for tolerance and peace. He was standing for the people of Syria and for pluralism. He completely disavowed his involvement with any former terror groups and announced a new springtime for his homeland. “Sectarian extremism must be eliminated. No group can cancel another,” alSharaa stated in a May, 2025 interview with Newsweek. “Everyone must have rights protected by law.”
Thank goodness Israel had the foresight to make precision strikes by air on the many weapons storage warehouses and facilities outside Damascus and throughout Syria. The weapons from the fallen Assad regime (rockets, missiles, RPGs along with guns and ammo) were supplied by Iran and Russia. Also, remember all the American weapons left behind in Afghanistan? Much of the equipment and arms were sold to highest bidders after they were confiscated by the Taliban. A lot of those American made weapons went to Syria. Israel could not let all of this fall into the hands of evil terrorists, so they have been taking out the supply hit by hit all through this year. The IDF also blew up all their planes (Syrian Air Force) and their bases and runways along with the air defense/radar systems.
Just one month ago, President alSharaa met with President Trump in an effort to legitimize himself and his new administration. The U.S. removed the bounty on his head and reported that all talks have been productive. All sanctions against Syria were lifted.
But can a leopard change its spots? Does a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Can a radicalized jihadist change into a suit and transform into a justice loving protector of minorities over night? Will the Western world buy off on this charade? What is really going on in Syria this week?
Reports of how it started are conflicting. Three days ago U.S. Ambassador to Syria and Turkey, Thomas Barrack, stated that there should be no separate Kurdish, Druze, Alawhite or Christian entities in the region. In other words, minorities should submit to alJawlani and his forces, in lieu of autonomy. It could be that shortly after that alJawlani/alSharaa’s army took advantage of Barrack’s words. Some say the Bedouins began to cause riots in the al Sueida province of Syria. Others say it was the new Syrian government forces that invaded. Either way the two groups came together to commit ethnic cleansing and genocide in alSueida.
This remote area about 40 miles east of the Israeli border is home to a Druze and Christian minority. They have lived there for hundreds of years. They have lived quietly and peaceably, avoiding conflict during the Syrian Civil Wars.
Yesterday, I began to receive the most severe and barbarous footage since 7 October. The Syrian now called “pro al-jawlani” fighters looted and burned the Greek Orthodox Church of San Michel in alSurah alKabira, in Sueida. Numerous Christians, men, women and children have been slaughtered. So far the count is at least 30 dead and 54 injured. Another Greek Orthodox Church was also looted and burned.
Syrian jihadist forces massacred an estimated 350 Druze in Syria in the past few days. Using the most brutal tactics of tying up the elders and shaving off their mount aches as a degradation; forcing them to crawl like animals and bark like dogs; beating and kicking them; cutting them with shattered glass bottles and other acts of violence. Women have been taken and gang raped. Young girls are being raped in front of their mothers and then killed. They are then shot or stabbed to death.
The main city is alSweida, which is one of the only two places in Syria where Christians and Druze can live free of Sharia law. The other one is smaller, on the eastern slope of Mt. Hermon on the Golan. Daesh or ISIS tactics are being used in Sueida. It is absolute barbarity.
Israel Defense Minister, Yisrael Katz, stated: “ The time for warnings is over. Damascus will now feel the consequences.” Israel immediately responded. Netanyahu and Katz both publicly committed to defending Syria’s Druze. Since yesterday afternoon, the IDF has been relentlessly striking the Syrian army armored vehicles and trucks carrying RPGs, pushing the,pm back, but many jihadists got through. Supposedly the Syrian government called for a ceasefire, but that is yet to be seen. It seems the opposite, that things are rapidly escalating.
On the Israel side, hundreds of Israeli Druze yesterday broke the border fence, rushing it en masse, pouring into Syria to help their brothers and sisters. Israel is home to over 150,000 Druze who feel deep solidarity with their families across the border. Israel’s Druze have called upon the IDF and the Israeli government to intervene. All Israeli Druze men proudly serve in our armed forces. Jews and Druze have an unshakable bond. “They are doing to us what they did to you on October 7,” cried an Israeli Druze elder in Rameh. “A five year old girl was raped and slaughtered. They are burning young children in front of their parents. There is no mercy.” Another Druze preparing to storm the border said to reporters, “Our people are being slaughtered, Israel must help us! I’m going back to fight myself.”
Syria strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on its territory, calling the attacks “treacherous aggression” and a violation of its sovereignty. A U.S. Syria envoy says active talks with Druze, Bedouin and Syrian government along with Israel are currently taking place. They. Hope to ease tensions and restore peace. Netanyahu has called for all Israeli Druze to return home and stay out of the conflict.
Here in the North of Israel, the Druze are striking (as in work forces) and protesting along all the major highways. Roadblocks have been set up along all intersections and traffic is at a standstill throughout the Galilee.
Also this afternoon, the IDF confirms targeting the gates of the Syrian regime’s chief of staff headquarters in Damascus. This is a warning to stop the killing of the minorities of Sueida. In the meantime, now thousands of Druze have broken through IDF barriers at the border (the IDF soldiers are really doing nothing to stop them by way of force) in order to fight the jihadists.
AlJazeera (what do we expect), France and other countries are now condemning Israeli aggression and Israel starting yet another conflagration in the. Idle East. France and the UK have called for an immediate end to the clashes in Suweida.
Just a half an hour ago as I write this (the news is coming in so fast from so many direct sources, it’s hard to keep up), the Israeli Defense Minister told the Syrian regime “ gestures are over, now expect painful blows. Druze can count on the IDF. To protect your brothers in Syria.”
U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack has condemned “violence against innocent civilians in Suweida” and calls for “dialogue to achieve a lasting ceasefire.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio says “ the U.S. is very concerned about IDF strikes in Syria.” He has called for an immediate ceasefire from all
Tensions are boiling over on the border. The IDF just reported that dozens of suspects from Syria tried to infiltrate Israeli territory near the town of Hader. Troops and Border Police were quickly deployed to stop the attempted breach and disperse those involved. At the same time, chaos erupted on the Israeli side as more Druze civilians breached the border fence at Majdal Shams, crossing into Syria. The IDF is currently working to bring them back. “This is a serious incident that constitutes a criminal act and endangers both civilians and IDF forces,” the military warned.
The 98th division of the IDF (paratrooper brigade) has just been issued notice ahead of an operation in Syria and to expect several days of fighting against regime forces in order to protect the Druze. Just now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a national address. “The situation in southwestern Syria is very dangerous. The DF is operating. The Air Force is operating. We are operating to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the regime’s forces. And now I have a request for you. You are citizens of Israel. Do not cross the border. You are endangering your lives; you can be murdered, you can be kidnapped, and you are harming the efforts of the IDF. Therefore, I ask you to return to your homes and let the IDF operate.”
Why does this matter? Two reasons: Druze are a strategic buffer zone between Israel and deeper parts of Syria. If Sueida falls, Jihadi forces could advance towards the Golan Heights, which would pose a direct threat to Israel. This could potentially destabilize the entire region. It is also about protecting the minority groups and standing up for those who stand for us.
BREAKING 🚨: Syrian media says that a ceasefire has been reached in Sueida, with the government promising to stop their ISIS fighters from slaughtering Christians and Druze. It is reported that Syria plans to annex and incorporate the whole territory under their governmental control and that they now occupy 25% of the Northern and Central parts of the city.
My husband was scouting out many different news outlets for news of the events as they unfolded in Syria. Very few of the articles even mentioned the assaults on the Christian minority. Others had Israel as the aggressor. Several Christian (non-denominational and Catholic) reports of the situation did speak about Christian persecution and murders, but never once mentioned that it was being perpetrated at the hands of Muslims, radical Islamic jihadists whose goal is to ethnically cleanse as in WIPE OUT/ELIMINATE anyone who is not Muslim. The truth needs to get out. The world needs to see, to wake up, to take a stand.
The best coverage without any added propaganda was from One India News. https://youtu.be/V_GU4TVq2d8?si=XT-iVUipmkfOyAkX
Israel Dreams 