Jumblat Decides for Now to Refrain from Making Statements
Druze leader Walid Jumblat announced that he has decided to refrain from making comments pending end of the crisis that erupted following his remarks on Sunday.
"I have decided to refrain from making any statement pending the end of the (political) storm and misinterpretations of my stances at the Progressive Socialist Party”s general assembly," the Druze leader told An Nahar when asked about the reactions to his latest speech.
On Tuesday, the Mustaqbal bloc vowed commitment to its "Lebanon First" slogan which it agreed "does not contradict Lebanon”s unquestionable Arab identity."
Jumblat also refused to comment to As Safir on the Mustaqbal statement, saying: "I”ve decided from now on neither to give a positive nor a negative answer. I”ve also decided not to enter into arguments with any side."
In remarks broadcast on MTV Tuesday night, Jumblat said he differs with the March 14 alliance on "some of the language used."
"We are not unified on some morals like the slogan “Lebanon First.” That”s why I took the decision to stress on my morals," he told MTV.
He lauded the Cornet Shahwan Christian coalition which he considered as one of the foundations for communication between the Mountains and Lebanon and which led to the end of Syrian hegemony on the country.
On Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, the Druze leader said: "We don”t go into details when we meet with him … As I understood from him, we have to have special relations with our Arab and Syrian neighbors because we can”t be in discord with Syria after it left Lebanon."
"Although I was one of the strongest inciters against the Syrian regime, entering into war with Syria was wrong and meaningless, particularly after the end of Syrian hegemony on Lebanon," the Druze leader told MTV.
Jumblat told pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat daily that he will hold a press conference soon to explain his latest stances.