Israel announced on Wednesday that it was suspending the entry of Druze workers from villages in southern Syria into its territory, following an objection by a security agency, according to Hebrew media.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that "the political echelon decided at the last minute to cancel the entry of workers from Druze villages in southern Syria into Israel, despite advanced preparations made to bring them in."
She added, "In recent weeks, a move has been made to bring workers from Druze villages in southern Syria to work in agriculture and construction in Israel."
The organization continued: "This move was supposed to serve as a bridge between Israel and the local population in Syrian towns 5-10 kilometers from the border. Its goal was to help the Druze in Syria on the one hand, and to strengthen ties with them to meet security needs."
This decision comes about a month after Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced that his country would allow dozens of Druze workers from Syria to work in the occupied Golan Heights and other areas, affirming his country's commitment to "protecting the Druze in Syria from any threat."
It's worth noting that a group of approximately 100 Druze clerics from Syria visited Israel three weeks ago. This was the first visit of its kind since the 1970s. They spent a day visiting the community's holy sites and meeting with Druze leaders from within Israel.