Six Druze villages in southern Syria have formally requested annexation into Israel as they face an existential crisis brought on by the collapse of the Assad regime and the advance of jihadist Syrian rebels.

During a late-night council meeting in the Jabal al-Sheikh region, Druze dignitaries expressed their determination to prevent extremist rebels from infiltrating their territory, the Jewish Press reported.

The Druze are an ethnoreligious group constituting approximately 3-4% of Syria's population, predominantly inhabiting the southwestern region known as Jabal al-Druze (Mountain of the Druze).

The Druze faith emerged in the 11th century as an offshoot of Isma'ili Shi'ism, incorporating elements from various religious and philosophical traditions, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Greek philosophy.  They believe in five divine messengers, in Abrahamic prophets including Jesus and Muhammad, and minor prophets including Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Plato, and Socrates.

This syncretic belief system emphasizes monotheism and the unity of God. The Druze community is known for its secrecy regarding religious practices and does not accept converts; one must be born into the faith to be considered Druze.

In a recent assembly in Hader, a Druze village in Syria's Jabal al-Sheikh region, community leaders expressed their intent to resist the encroachment of jihadist forces and proposed annexation to the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Out of the approximately 55,000 Israelis living in the Golan Heights, roughly 24,000 are Druze, per the Jewish Press.