Latest news with #WalidJoumblatt
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Sweida clashes: A historic rupture in Sunni-Druze relations in Lebanon and Syria
A meeting of former prime ministers at Walid Joumblatt's residence. A Sunni-Druze gathering in the Bekaa. A rare joint statement by Lebanon's Grand Mufti and the Druze Sheikh Akl, Sami Abi al-Mona. Since sectarian clashes erupted in Syria's southern province of Sweida on July 19, Sunni and Druze leaders in Lebanon have made visible efforts to project unity and prevent the violence from crossing the on the ground, the situation is more complicated, especially because the possibility of a Druze-Sunni clash inside Lebanon is politically the two communities have rarely found themselves on opposing sides in Lebanon's power struggles. Today, however, solidarity with their communities in Syria risks upending that one side, Druze figures in Lebanon have expressed support for the Druze of Sweida,...
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
End of fighting in Sweida: Joumblatt calls for dialogue and a ‘comprehensive political solution' in Syria
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Joumblatt called on Sunday for the opening of a dialogue among all groups in Syria under the leadership of the authorities, following the announcement of a cease-fire that ended a week of bloody communal clashes between Druze fighters and rival groups in Sweida. The Syrian government announced late Saturday into Sunday the end of fighting in the south of the country, which was immediately resumed by Druze groups. The violence between these groups and Sunni Bedouins, which began on July 13 in the Sweida region, has caused 940 deaths, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). A 'comprehensive political solution' in Syria Former Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Joumblatt emphasized the necessity of a cease-fire in Sweida as a prerequisite to advance the next steps of the process. He insisted that 'a comprehensive political solution is the only way to preserve the authority of the Syrian state and to address the legitimate demands of the inhabitants of the Druze Mountain,' calling for the opening of a dialogue among all religious, political and communal components under the aegis of the denounced 'any declarations calling for international or Israeli protection,' arguing that 'such proposals undermine Syria's sovereignty as well as the national and Arab heritage of Soueida.' Some voices within the Druze community, notably in Syria, have called for Israeli protection of the community amid growing anger against the authority of Ahmad al-Sharaa, who is accused of failing to protect the Druze of Soueida. Joumblatt urged 'an end to the escalation, lifting the siege on the affected areas, and serious efforts to avoid any new surge in tensions.' He also reminded that 'the Druze of Syria are an authentic component of the Syrian national and Arab fabric, and it is unacceptable to exclude them from their Arab identity or to treat them as foreigners in their natural environment.' Blocking the path to Israeli interference In a separate statement, the PSP called on the Syrian state, the people of Sweida, and the Arab tribes to 'work to consolidate the ceasefire, which is more important than any other consideration, including revenge, to ensure Syria's security, stability and unity.' The party urged the Syrian government to act seriously to regain control over the chaotic and unstable situation in the Sweida governorate and to end attacks on Druze villages in the Druze Mountain, thereby preventing calls for international protection or Israeli interference. After a government forces intervention in Sweida during the week, which led to killings in the region, the Israeli army carried out bombings and strikes against military headquarters in Damascus. Walid Joumblatt sharply criticized these Israeli actions, accusing the Israeli state of 'pitting the Druze against all components of Syrian society.'The PSP concluded: 'Consolidating the cease-fire is the gateway to the second phase, namely political dialogue aimed at integrating the Sweida governorate into the Syrian state and its official institutions.'Walid Joumblatt had already called for dialogue in Syria on Friday and requested a 'clear plan to establish security and then absorb armed Druze elements into the Syrian police or army.' He was the first Lebanese political figure to travel to Syria to meet the new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa on Dec. 22, 2024, just weeks after the fall of the Assad regime.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Sweida clashes: Is Walid Joumblatt's leadership facing its limits?
'We are at the beginning of a serious crisis and of sectarian partition.' With those words Friday, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt summed up the recent bloody clashes in Syria's southern province of Sweida between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes (mostly Sunni) and Syrian government forces, who ultimately withdrew from the area on made the remarks amid a wave of anger within the Druze community over images emerging from the sectarian clashes in Sweida. Still, he continues to place his trust in Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his government to calm tensions in Syria and the wider in a moment of heightened volatility, observers question whether Joumblatt can maintain his role as a unifying figure — or if he will be overtaken by public anger this many close to the...
Al Arabiya
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Lebanon's Joumblatt calls on Sweida's Druze to integrate into Syria state
Lebanon's Druze leader on Tuesday called on Druze residents in Syria's Sweida to integrate themselves into the state after deadly clashes ensued for the third day in a row. 'The Druze in Sweida should integrate themselves with the state and not try to become isolated,' Walid Joumblatt said in an interview with Al Arabiya. Although Joumblatt is the most powerful Druze politician in Lebanon, he has often had significant influence among the minority Druze in neighboring Syria. Israeli airstrikes targeted Syrian government forces for the second day in a row on Tuesday, as they claimed to be protecting the Druze. Joumblatt warned that Israel is trying to exploit the situation to sow chaos. 'The request for the international protection of Sweida's Druze residents aims to make them a card in the hands of the Israelis,' Joumblatt said. As for a solution, he said it could only be a political one under the umbrella of the state. 'Weapons in Sweida must be dealt with through a plan with Damascus,' Joumblatt said about the heavy weaponry in possession of the Druze residents of Sweida. The spiritual leader of Syria's Druze, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, backtracked on earlier comments welcoming the presence of Syrian government forces in Sweida. He said that the Druze were being subjected to a 'war of total extermination.'
L'Orient-Le Jour
07-05-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Hacking Lebanese Politics #7: What's up with the Druze?
You've been hearing the word 'Druze' a lot lately: headlines about Syria, Walid Joumblatt, Israeli airstrikes, even street tensions back home in Lebanon. But what's actually going on? Let's break it down. Who are the Druze, why do they matter in the region, and what's been happening lately? 1. So, who are the Druze minority in the region? And where do they stand in Lebanon? The Druze are a small religious minority in the Middle East, mostly found in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Israel, and the community ties are strong across borders. Their faith emerged in the 11th century as a secretive offshoot of Islam (more specifically Ismailism, which is a branch of Shiite Islam) with influences from Greek philosophy and mysticism. You can't convert in; you're born Druze. Druze have long played a major political role in Lebanon, despite only making up about five percent of the population. Two main families dominate: The Joumblatts, with Walid Joumblatt as the longtime leader (after his father Kamal Joumblatt, who founded the Progressive Socialist Party [PSP]), have historically opposed the former Syrian regime and leaned toward Arab nationalism and reform. The Arslans, led by Talal Arslan (who took over from his father Majid Arslan), were closely aligned with the Assad regime in Syria and often echoed pro-Damascus positions. When the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, these rivaling positions became even clearer: Joumblatt spoke out against Assad's repression, while Arslan doubled down on support for the regime. 2. Why are they in the news now? In recent weeks, things got heated in Syria, especially in Druze-majority areas like Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus. At least 100 people were killed and several were injured after clashes broke out on April 29 between local Druze gunmen and pro-government fighters, triggered by a fake audio clip insulting the Prophet Muhammad circulated online. To understand what's happening now, we need a bit of context. After years of war, Syria's new regime is now dominated by Islamist groups, including some with extremist roots. The new interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, is a former jihadist. While he's promised to protect minorities, sectarian violence continues. For the Druze, this is deeply unsettling. They still remember the 2018 Islamic State (ISIS) attack in Sweida, where dozens were killed and others kidnapped. Many Islamist groups view the Druze as heretics. In a bid to show his commitment to a more inclusive post-Assad Syria and to unifying and centralizing the country's authority, Sharaa signed two major agreements with minority groups. The first was with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to bring their autonomous administration under state control. The second was with Druze leaders to integrate their home province of Sweida into state institutions. This was not enough to stop the eruption of clashes, striking fear among the community. Not only in Syria but also for the neighboring Lebanese Druze. Walid Joumblatt, the longtime leader of the Druze in Lebanon, sprang into action. He reached out to regional powers (Saudi, Qatar, Turkey, UAE), made a surprise visit to Damascus, and called for calm and unity. His message? Don't let outside forces, especially Israel, drag the Druze into a war they don't want. 3. What's Israel got to do with this? A lot, actually. Israel has been bombing targets in Syria for years, but since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on Dec. 8, 2024, it has intensified its attacks on military sites, moving further into Syrian territory. What's more, Israel is now publicly presenting itself as a protector of the Druze. It is important here to mention the Golan Heights, which is a strategic plateau situated between Syria, Lebanon and Israel. For Israel, the region is seen as crucial for its national security, giving it a military advantage over the three neighboring countries. Israel occupied it in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and later annexed it (only the U.S. recognized Israel's annexation; the U.N. considers the region as Syrian territory occupied by Israel). The Golan Heights is home to around 22,000 Druze who live as permanent residents. Most of them refuse Israeli citizenship, choosing to maintain their Syrian identity. But Israel's 'friendly' posture vis-à-vis the Druze is raising alarms. Joumblatt and others believe it's part of a long game, a way for Israel to divide Syria, isolate minorities, and gain influence under the cover of "protection." He's warned that if Druze in Syria or Lebanon get too close to Israel, it could spark a sectarian war, one that Israel won't pay the price for, but the Druze will. 4. What does this mean for Lebanon? Tensions almost spilled over. After the Syria clashes, some Druze youth in Aley attacked a Sunni cleric. It was quickly contained, but the fear of 'imported conflict' is real. That's why Joumblatt, Sheikh Sami Abilmona (the Druze spiritual leader), and top officials are working hard to prevent any spread. They've been coordinating with foreign ambassadors and the Lebanese Army to keep the peace. This isn't just about religion, it's about politics, identity, and survival. The Druze don't want to be pawns in anyone's game, whether it's Israel's, Syria's, or anyone else's.
