He used to appear in "The Muppet Show", up in the balcony.
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt arrives at the National Dialogue session held at Baabda Palace, Lebanon, on Monday, June 25, 2012. (The Daily Star/Mohammad Azakir)
Posted on 06/30/2012 6:21:38 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said the issue of Hezbollah's arms can only be resolved via the National Dialogue and without resorting to sectarian partisanship, in remarks published Saturday.
Commenting on the Sidon sit-in demanding the demilitarization of the resistance party, Jumblatt told An-Nahar: "The defense strategy should be formulated in a stable atmosphere away from tensions and sectarian partisanship."
"This issue [Hezbollah's arms] cannot be resolved by blocking roads and disrupting people's lives in Sidon, the south and other areas," he added.
On Wednesday, Sheikh Ahmad Assir, a Sidon-based Islamist and critic of Hezbollah's arsenal, blocked the road connecting the coastal city to south Lebanon, saying that he and his supporters would continue their sit-in until the issue of non-state arms is resolved.
Assir told reporters Friday at the site where some 150 of his supporters have been camped out that the protest would continue unless "someone convinces us" that Hezbollah and Amal will seriously respond to efforts to resolve the arms issue.
Jumblatt said that the national defense strategy being discussed in the National Dialogue that resumed earlier this month is the only way to deal with Hezbollah's arsenal, saying: "We agreed at the National Dialogue table that the issue of arms will not be resolved outside the framework of dialogue in a calm and positive atmosphere."
He also said that Assir's protest was "directed against President Michel Sleiman and all Lebanese," adding that the Lebanese should learn from the May 7, 2008 street fighting in Beirut between Hezbollah supporters and the city's residents that taking their grievances to the streets is fraught with risk.
"We should all remember the words of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and his moderation in supporting the state," Jumblatt added.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailystar.com.lb ...
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt arrives at the National Dialogue session held at Baabda Palace, Lebanon, on Monday, June 25, 2012. (The Daily Star/Mohammad Azakir)
Druse, right?
Yes, Druze. He was a leader of the Druze in Lebanon when the Phalange (primarily Maronite Christians) & other Christian Militias were directed by Bashir Jumayyil in the early 1980's. Bashir was elected President of Lebanon and was assassinated before taking office. Very dark times in Lebanon.
A good Lebanese Christian friend told me that there is little difference between the Druze and the Muslims. He held Jumblatt in high contempt.
I should say g’night. So, g’night.
Great, I went to bed without clicking “Post”.
Druze, which is yet another Islamic sect, but like other sects, it’s considered heretical by all other sects. :’)
Thanks Texas Fossil.
I ran across the story because of a GGG search — Lebanon’s antiquities guy approved construction of a new high-rise on the alleged site of a Phoenician port and has been condemned for it. Turns out A) the antiquities guy’s Christian, B) that he’s associated with the Christian political party of Aoun, which (like Jumblatt) is aligned with Hizbollah, and C) there probably was no port.
An offshore quake causing a massive tsunami in Syria and Lebanon would really help straighten out things.
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