Lebanon’s Druze Leader Walid Jumblatt rejected any attempt to impose Hezbollah’s disarmament by force, arguing that such a move would be illegitimate and risk deepening Lebanon’s internal divisions.
Speaking in an interview with Turkiye Today, Jumblatt said pressure from the United States or Israel to forcibly disarm Hezbollah would be unacceptable, stressing that the group’s supporters are Lebanese citizens.
“Disarmament by whom?” the former Progressive Socialist Party leader said. “The people of Hezbollah, the followers of Hezbollah, are Lebanese. They are Shia Lebanese.”
“Any pressure from the Americans or from the Israelis on Lebanon to disarm by force is refused,” he added. “These are Lebanese. They are defending their land, the land of the South.”
Jumblatt also criticized the language used in recent direct talks between Lebanon rulers and the Israeli enemy over southern Lebanon, warning against ambiguity surrounding Israeli military movements in the area.
“The recent deal between Lebanon and Israel does not mention the withdrawal, total withdrawal of the Israelis from the South of Lebanon,” he said. “It mentions one issue: redeployment. Redeployment is a big trap.”
Earlier this month, Jumblatt warned that the US-backed so-called ‘framework agreement’ with Israeli enemy marks a “dangerous shift” in the Lebanese-Israeli struggle.
In a memorandum endorsed by Lebanon’s Druze Religious Council, Jumblatt said the deal “does not prioritize ending the Israeli occupation, but rather redefines the conflict as being linked to the presence of irregular weapons within Lebanon.”
Turkey’s Role in the Region
Jumblatt, meanwhile, described Turkey as an important regional actor, rejecting concerns over Ankara’s growing influence and emphasizing the need for cooperation to counter what he described as Israeli expansion in the region.
“Today, Turkey is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey, and what distinguishes it is its great diversity,” Jumblatt said, adding that Turkey “has embraced the Syrian people.”
Türkiye Today visited Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Druze community and Lebanon's long-time kingmaker, at his home for an exclusive interview.
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He said Lebanon and the region should work with countries capable of limiting Israeli regional influence, describing Turkey as “one of those countries.”
Source: Turkey Today (Edited by Al-Manar)