There are about 1.5 million to 2 million Druze in the world. Most of them — roughly 700,000 — live in Syria with about 400,000 in Lebanon and another 170,000 in Israel.
When the massacre of the Druze began in Syria, Israel stepped in. Israel intervened to stop the mass murder of innocents.
Israel did not turn to diplomatic channels to resolve the Druze problem in Syria. The Jewish state used fighter jets and attack helicopters to prevent genocide.
And Israel was loudly condemned for its actions. The world shouted that Israel crossed an international border and struck targets in Syria.
In the end, despite the criticism, Israel saved the Druze of Syria.
This current conflict started when a Druze religious leader was humiliated at Bedouin checkpoint in Syria.
The Druze reacted to defend their honor. The Bedouin militias responded.
Then the new head of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa sent in ISIS militias in Syrian uniforms and they sided with the Bedouins against the Druze.
The Druze are seen by most Muslims as apostates. Murtaddun is the Islamic theological term.
They are not nonbelievers; they are misbelievers. There are fatwahs, or religious edicts, that declare Druze to be misbelievers outwardly masquerading as Muslims.
The penalty in Islam for apostacy is death.
Tradition and religion are kept secret in the Druze world. Only a small group, called the "initiated" or the "knowledgeable" have access to the holy writings known as the Epistles of Wisdom.
No intermarriage and no conversion are permitted for Druze.
Theirs is not a new religion. Druze broke off from Shiite Islam in about the year 1017.
It happened in Egypt. And since 1043, they have not sought converts.
The name "Druze" probably comes from an early leader/preacher named Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin al-Darazi. There is an ongoing debate as to the authoritative meaning of the word "Druze."
One of the basic principles of Druze is loyalty to the country in which they live.
They are extremely loyal to Israel. And even though their very close relatives — siblings and cousins — may live in the land of an enemy of Israel, like Syria or Lebanon, they still serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
They are so loyal that the Druze enlistment percentage into the IDF is over 80%, while the national average is 50%.
Before crypto messaging — with no other way of contacting their friends and family on the other side of borders — the Druze would climb to the top of neighboring mountain tops and call to each other using bullhorns.
When the massacres began, thousands of Israeli Druze rushed and broke through the border. They ran to defend their relatives in Syria in the area of Sweida.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent in the IDF to securely return Israel's Druze home to Israel. He called in airstrikes to strife the Bedouin and ISIS militias who were brutally attacking the Druze.
Nonetheless, there is no doubt that hundreds of Israeli Druze remained in Syria and are defending their cousins.
The video footage of the massacre is horrific. It includes publicly cutting the beards and the famed mustaches of Druze clergy in front of their own people.
First came humiliation, then came death. Over 1,000 Syrian Druze were murdered in a few days.
Israel could not stand by and watch the slaughter. For Israelis, it was their "brother's brothers" and they were morally compelled to stop the bloodshed.
Israel is sending medical supplies to the local hospital, and a U.S. helicopter was seen arriving with medical supplies also.
The United States has condemned the Syrian actions. It has helped broker a ceasefire.
Earlier, President Donald Trump lifted sanctions against the new Syria in the hope that the new Syria under new Syrian leadership will enter a new era.
I'm not so sure.
This massacre and the recent massacre of the Alawites of Syria, those who followed the religion of Syria's former dictator, Bashar Assad, and his father and predecessor, Hafez Assad, do not bode well when predicting future trends for Syria.
The White House, through the U.S. special envoy to Syria who also serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, announced exactly where the Trump administration stands. On X, he urged all parties to lay down their weapons.
Barrack posted: "President Trump's decision to lift sanctions was a principled step, offering the Syrian people a chance to move beyond years of unimaginable suffering and atrocities. The international community has largely rallied behind the nascent Syrian government, watching with cautious optimism as it seeks to transition from a legacy of pain to a future of hope.
"Yet, this fragile ambition is now overshadowed by profound shock, as brutal acts by warring factions on the ground undermine the government's authority and disrupt any semblance of order. All factions must immediately lay down their arms, cease hostilities, and abandon cycles of tribal vengeance.
"Syria stands at a critical juncture—peace and dialogue must prevail—and prevail now," he wrote.
But know this: Syria will not transform into a liberal democracy anytime soon. Ousting the butcher Assad and replacing him with the head of ISIS enshrines the Syrian tradition of the massacre and mass murder of tribes by other tribes.
Today's Syria has no central government and no central army. This is not merely a state of anarchy; it is a country that thrives on tribal and clan conflict.
Bottom line: Syria is a mess.
Micah Halpern is a political and foreign affairs commentator. He founded "The Micah Report" and hosts "Thinking Out Loud with Micah Halpern," a weekly TV program, and "My Chopp," a daily radio spot. Follow him on Twitter @MicahHalpern. Read Micah Halpern's Reports — More Here.