U.S.-Lebanon Dialogue Program

On April 17, al-Jadeed (New) TV broadcast a cell-phone video of Walid Jumblatt recorded during a private meeting with clerics leaders, including prominent Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Abu Muhammad Jawad Wali el Dine, as well as political activists. In the video, Jumblatt attacked his March 14 allies’ strategies and abilities using insulting and sectarian language.

Jumblatt said: “…as for the Shiites, Britain has opened up towards and the US has opened a dialogue with Iran. Today, where should I get my arms from? From the sea, or ? Of course not from Israel and we cannot do it from the sea. You have seen how we were blockaded.

“And when I kept talking and asking for the 50 plus 1, it is true that from a constitutional logic we would have got Nassib Lahoud (to be president), right? But you saw back then... What’s his name... this , the would have loved to see the Druze and the Shiites engage in war in order to sit back and watch us, even the Sunnis would have wished for that. He (meaning MP Saad Hariri) got 1000 Sunni fighters from Akkar into Beirut but they did not last for fifteen minutes [referring to the violence of May, 2008]. Our head is high, he said, we were not defeated, but we couldn’t go for an absolute psychological, political and sectarian war with the Shiites. … On the other side go see those who grow their beards and shave their moustaches (meaning Sunni extremists).”

One of the people in the meeting said that those were far more dangerous than the Shiites. Jumblatt said that the sea of Muslims from Beirut is enlarging (and reaching the Druze). He explained that he cannot do anything about the demography especially at the sea level areas but the situation in the Mountains remains acceptable. The Sheikh interrupted and said, “With all due respect to you and to your perception of the situation, I believe that there is no point behind the hostility toward the Shiites. A specific event occurred and that was it.” A man then interfered and said, “Sheikh, we are all with you and with Walid Jumblatt. We will follow you regardless of the decision you make.”

Jumblatt continued: “The elections will happen and nothing essential will change, but our problem is in the Chouf where Walid Jumblatt can no longer form a list because the ‘isolationist tendency’ is back, and the bad race will remain a bad race (Maronites). If there is anyone who knows the Maronites it’s the Jumblatt family and the Druze. … Saad Hariri is still new, he was experimenting with us, he convinced Ghattas Khoury (to run in the Chouf), and look where we are! We will try to fix it or I will form a list against Ghattas and Dory Chamoun!”

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