Youssef Jarbou
Youssef Jarbou | |
|---|---|
يوسف جربوع | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1970 Suwayda, Syria |
| Nationality | Syrian |
| Occupation | Spiritual leader of the Druze community in Syria |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Druze |
Youssef Jarbou (Arabic: يوسف جربوع) is a Syrian Druze religious leader who has served as one of the spiritual leaders of the Druze community in Syria since 20 December 2012, following the death of his cousin and predecessor, Hussein Jarbou. A member of a family that has held this religious office for over three centuries in Jabal al-Arab, Jarbou wields significant religious and social influence within the Druze community, particularly in the Suwayda Governorate.[1][2][3]
Jarbou is widely recognized for his firm support of the regime of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Unlike the other two Druze sheikhs, Hikmat al-Hijri and Hammoud al-Hinnawi, who have occasionally sided with anti-government protests,[3] Jarbou consistently aligned himself with state authorities and institutions. He openly rejected the 2023 protest movement in Suwayda and has framed opposition activity as externally driven subversion.[1][2]
Throughout his tenure, Jarbou has emphasized the importance of preserving Druze traditions, unity, and loyalty to the state. He has acted as a mediator between the Druze community and the Assad regime, attending state functions and meeting frequently with security officials.[1] He participated in the launch of a reconciliation center in Suwayda in October 2022 alongside high-ranking intelligence officials, encouraging military draft evaders to return to government service.[2]
Jarbou has also supported initiatives aligned with the Assad regime, including cooperation with organizations like the Syrian Trust for Development, a foundation that was headed by Asma al-Assad. In 2021, he advocated for the creation of a new Druze militia in coordination with Hezbollah and the Syrian Army's 4th Division, then commanded by Maher al-Assad, to reassert control over Suwayda, which has seen diminishing government presence.[1][2]
After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Jarbou endorsed a rare religious visit by Syrian Druze clerics to Israel in March 2025, describing it as a spiritual rather than political initiative. The visit sparked controversy, especially given the lack of formal relations between Syria and Israel.[1][2]
Jarbou has faced criticism from within the Druze community, including allegations of corruption related to the management of religious endowments and accusations of facilitating the Assad regime's efforts to suppress dissent in Suwayda.[1][2]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "يوسف جربوع.. شيخ عقل درزي يخطب بلسان الأسد ويكتنز أموال السوريين" [Youssef Jarbou.. A Druze Sheikh al-Aql who speaks with Assad's tongue and hoards Syrians' money]. Al-Estiklal (in Arabic). 2022. Archived from the original on 16 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "يوسف جربوع زعيم درزي حاول تعزيز قبضة الأسد على السويداء" [Youssef Jarbou: A Druze leader who sought to tighten Assad's grip on Suwayda]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 21 March 2025. Archived from the original on 23 March 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ a b "يوسف الجربوع" [Youssef Jarbou]. Syrian Memory (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2025.