Syrian Druze leaders make controversial religious visit to Israel amid normalisation rumours

Almost 700 Syrian Druze clerics and leaders entered northern Israel on Friday on a religious visit, sparking controversy in Syria.

The clerics are making the pilgrimage to the shrine of Shuaib, the most important prophet of the Druze faith.

The Druze community in Israel visit the tomb every year for the annual Ziyara festival, which is observed between 25 and 28 April.

Until this year, none of Syria's Druze community had made the pilgrimage since 1948, when Palestinians were ethnically cleansed from their land in the lead-up to the creation of Israel.

In March, 60 clerics became the first Syrians to travel to the shrine in more than 70 years.

Syria has never recognised Israel and barred its citizens from visiting the country.

The trip has triggered controversy among the Syrian Druze community. Activists and writers have condemned the decision to enter Israel in light of its occupation of Syrian lands, according to The New Arab's Arabic language sister outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Members of the convoy traveling to Israel told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed’s correspondent in Suweida, that the clerics were accompanied by Syrian security forces before crossing into Israel, in a controversial move which comes amid recent talk of potential normalisation of ties between Israel and Syria.

Sources close to the delegation however downplayed the political significance of the visit, telling Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "it's a spiritual practice and has nothing to do with politics".

One cleric said the delegation is aware that their trip is being used by the Israeli government for political purposes and chose to limit the bus route strictly to the path from the border to the shrine, avoiding visits to other areas in Israel.

In the days following Assad's ouster in December, Israel seized hundreds of square-kilometres of Syrian land, including the UN buffer zone and the strategically important Mount Hermon on the Lebanese border.

Israel has also occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967.

Israeli troops have launched incursions deeper into Quneitra and Daraa provinces and have established military bases in the areas.

The Netanyahu government has also sought to stoke secessionism among the Druze community in Suweida and has spoke openly about breaking up Syria along sectarian lines.

The Druze are scattered across the Levant region, including Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Golan.

Syria's Druze community mostly inhabit the southern province of Suweida. Thousands also live in the occupied Golan Heights, which was illegally annexed by Israel in 1981.