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L'Orient-Le Jour
8 hours ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Derian and Sunni religious leaders visit Joumblatt
BEIRUT — Former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Joumblatt, on Monday received the grand mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, who was accompanied by a delegation from Dar al-Fatwa at his home in Beirut's Clemenceau district. The head of the Lebanese Democratic Party, Talal Arslane, and other Sunni muftis from Lebanese regions were also present at the meeting, after which Sheikh Derian stated that it was "friendly and constructive" and that others would follow, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA.) This meeting between the Druze leader and the highest representative of Sunni Islam in Lebanon comes amid recent sectarian tensions that have led to clashes between Druze factions and Sunni Bedouin tribes, backed by forces of the Damascus government, which left more than 1,200 people dead in a week in the Sweida region of southern Syria. This latest episode of sectarian violence in the neighboring country had raised fears that these tensions could spill over into Lebanon. In a joint statement issued following their meeting, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to 'national and Islamic unity in the face of those who seek to harm Lebanon and sisterly Syria,' and rejected 'any attempt to sow discord.' They condemned the 'bloody clashes between Syrian brothers in the Sweida region,' calling them 'unacceptable and deplorable,' and expressed sorrow for 'the martyrs who fell during these painful events.' The signatories called on 'all Lebanese forces to work toward strengthening the state, its people, and its institutions, to unite in efforts to revive the state so that it can fully fulfill its unifying role, and to come together in confronting the Zionist aggression that targets Lebanon, Syria, and other Arab countries, in pursuit of its hostile goals and sectarian, ethnic, and confessional agendas, which serve only the enemies of our countries, societies, and Arab and Islamic nation.' They also praised the 'wise and patriotic positions of all Lebanese parties that have called for Syrian unity, the prevention of internal conflict, and the preservation of Syria's territorial integrity, with the same concern they express for Lebanon — its people, state, and institutions.' Finally, the statement emphasized the importance of 'Lebanon's sovereignty, freedom, Arab identity, and independence, as well as its cooperation with all fellow Arab nations and friendly states committed to Lebanon, its people, and its civilizational role in the region.'
L'Orient-Le Jour
5 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
'Fruitful and useful meeting' between Joumblatt and Geagea
Former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Walid Joumblatt met on Wednesday at his Beirut residence with the head of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, who was accompanied by LF MP for North Metn, Melhem Riashi. MP Wael Abou Faour, a member of the Democratic Gathering bloc, was present at the meeting, which focused on political developments in Lebanon and the region, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA). At the end of the discussion, Geagea said that the meeting had been "fruitful and useful on all levels." He added, "May God do what is good," regarding the political situation in Lebanon. Geagea rarely leaves the highly secured Maarab compound where he resides, in Mount Lebanon. This meeting between the two political leaders comes at a time marked by the new visit to Beirut by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, as the thorny issue of Hezbollah's disarmament remains at the heart of debates on the Lebanese political scene and internationally. Recent clashes between Druze factions and Sunni tribes, backed by government forces, in Syria killed more than 1,200 in Syria's southern Sweida province and stirred up tensions in several areas of Lebanon.
L'Orient-Le Jour
5 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Geagea pays Joumblatt a rare visit to talk Sweida, weapons, and diaspora vote
Politicians have their fair share of meetings, but this one is worth noting. On Wednesday, Samir Geagea, Christian leader and the head of the Lebanese Forces, made a rare trip to meet with Druze leader and former head of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Joumblatt at the latter's Clemenceau has kept his movements limited since a wave of assassinations targeting opponents of Hezbollah between 2005 and 2013, and this unusual visit comes in the aftermath of a wave of violence that hit the majority-Druze province of Sweida in southern Syria last week. Government-aligned fighters, Druze militiamen and Bedouins fighters clashed, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,200 people and causing some to fear the violence would spill over into described his talks with Joumblatt as "fruitful and useful at all...
LBCI
7 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Zafer Nasser to LBCI: Calls for upholding Sweida ceasefire, highlights Jumblatt's key role
Progressive Socialist Party Secretary General Zafer Nasser condemned the recent events in Sweida, calling them unacceptable and holding authorities responsible for addressing the situation and preventing any project that would sever Sweida from Syria. Speaking on LBCI's "Nharkom Said" TV show, Nasser said: 'The situation is not over yet, which is why we emphasize the need to uphold the ceasefire. Israel has no interest in seeing the situation stabilize.' He noted that past experience has shown Israel uses certain groups but does not protect them, adding that the Israeli airstrikes in Syria carry strategic dimensions and are messages aimed at regional powers with influence in Damascus. Nasser also pointed out that former PSP leader Walid Jumblatt was always keen to maintain a healthy relationship with the Arslan family, as part of his effort to preserve internal unity, especially during times of crisis.
Gulf Today
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
There is widespead concern that Syria might break up
The ceasefire brokered by the US, Turkey, and Jordan appears to have ended a week of violence in Syria's southern province of Sweida where Druze militiamen battled Sunni Bedouin tribesmen bolstered by Sunni factional militiamen from elsewhere. Clashes erupted on the 13th following the Bedouin kidnapping of a Druze merchant travelling to Damascus. The number of people killed in Sweida is 940, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and scores were injured. When the Syrian army began to intervene mid-week, Israel bombed the defence ministry in Damascus, fired missiles near the presidential palace and struck Syrian troops entering Sweida. Israel's involvement was not welcomed by Arab, Turkish and US mediators. Even Donald Trump expressed rare criticism of Israel. Syrian Druze constitute the largest Druze community in the world and the third largest minority in that country. The monotheistic faith evolved from Shiism in the 11th century and has long been a separate religion. As Druze have been persecuted for centuries, they have, as a matter of survival, adopted the practice of taqiya, dissimulation, by appearing to merge with the local population while remaining Druze. Druze number about 700,000 and constitute about 3 per cent of Syria's population. While they are concentrated in the Druze majority province of Sweida, Druze have also settled around Damascus and elsewhere in the country. About 300,000 Druze live in Lebanon and a small number in Jordan. The Druze have played important roles in the independence struggles of both Syria and Lebanon and have assumed active political careers in these states since then. Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt has followed the example of his father and acted as a kingmaker in Lebanon. Respected as a voice for Druze in the region, he condemned Israel's intervention in Sweida and convened a meeting of Lebanese Druze leaders with the aim of countering possible spillover of Syrian Druze-Sunni violence. Another prominent Arab Druze, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, joined his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan to demand an urgent end to Israel's involvement. While Syrian Druze and Bedouin have sparred for decades, the latest bout of violence did not begin as a sectarian confrontation but over farmland, a traditional issue. After Bashar al-Assad assumed power in 2000, the government initiated economic and agricultural reforms. Farm subsidies were gradually withdrawn and restrictions on water usage and land access were imposed. While Druze villagers protested Bedouin farmers did not, generating hostility against their community. However, Druze and Bedouin farmers came together to protest over neglect by the government due to the lack of services and security. Following Assad 's ouster in December last year, Druze have been divided over their approach to the Sunni fundamentalist Hay 'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) government. Some Druze factions have tried to negotiate a new relationship with Damascus, others resist merging their militias with the country's armed forces, and many reject the presence of Syrian security personnel and soldiers in Sweida. Meanwhile, Druze and Bedouin antagonism to the government increased. Bedouin were angered by the appointment of Druze Amjad Bahr as agriculture minister, while Druze did not see this as providing them with sufficient influence in Damascus. In the absence of firm state control since the takeover by HTS under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, there have been frequent clashes between Bedouin and Druze, who insist that Sweida must enjoy autonomy, and security must be provided by Druze militia factions — both demands rejected by Bedouin. Syria's southernmost, Sweida is a strategic province with a population of 540,400, 91 per cent Druze, according to the UN. The Druze demand for autonomy amounts to a major challenge to the government at a time the northeast, 25 per cent of Syrian territory, is ruled by Syrian Kurds who also seek self-rule within Syria. There is concern that Syria — which with Iraq makes up the Eastern Arab heartland — could fracture. This has been the goal of Israel since its creation by war 77 years ago. In a bid to weaken Damascus grip on Syrian territory, Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has warned against deploying the Syrian army in the southern border regions. Last December, Israeli troops invaded and occupied the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 agreement with Syria. Israel occupied the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967 and annexed the territory, which has a Druze population of 20,000, most of whom retain Syrian citizenship. About 130,000 Druze live in Israel, have Israeli citizenship and many have served in the Israeli army and the Knesset. Israeli Druze protested in 2018 after adopting a law defining Israel as the "nation state" of the Jewish people. Druze, who count for 1.6 per cent and Palestinian Arabs 21 per cent, cried foul as this law transformed them into "second-class citizens." The normally loyal Druze protested in the streets. Although Druze are prominent in literature, politics, business, and the military in Israel their voices fell on deaf ears. Druze have emigrated to the US, UK, Europe, and Latin America although many retain communal connections and an active interest in the affairs of this conflicted region. One of the founders in 1968 of American Near East Refugee Aid, ANERA, was Jim Sams (Abu Samra) whose family comes from the 12th century Lebanese Chouf Mountain Druze village of Baakleen. The most high-profile Druze on the global scene today is British-born international lawyer Amal Alamuddin who is married to US actor George Clooney. The couple have founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice which operated in 40 countries in defence of free speech and women's rights.
