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28/07/2009 … And the head of the Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblatt continues his "inclination"…
On Tuesday, Jumblatt spoke to Tunisian daily "Realites" and renewed his severe criticism of the "slogan" raised by his ally, the Future movement, stating "Lebanon First."
Indeed, and according to Jumblatt, such slogan contradicts with the traditional role of Lebanon, believed to be the country of openness, interaction and affiliation within its Arab surrounding. Therefore, such slogan would be "silly and isolationist" in Jumblatt's terms.
The Progressive Socialist Party leader went on to criticize some of the Christians, from his allies and rivals, claiming that they are still dreaming of establishing what he called "ghettoes" that would include large sections from the Christian community. Jumblatt said that raising the slogan of "Lebanon First" actually contributes in isolating Lebanon and cutting it off the world.
The Druze leader also had another opinion concerning the relations with Syria following years in which he used to criticize Syria and even "insult" Syrian prominent leaders. "I admit that I fell in the sin of the large number of harsh slogans against Syria," he said. "However, I intend in the future to purify my relationship with Damascus on my way," he added.
On the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) over the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, Jumblatt highlighted that the tribunal has become tantamount to a "nightmare" in the eyes of some Lebanese. He pointed in this context to the report published some months ago by the German magazine Der Spiegel, recalling that the mentioned article sought to cause a Sunni-Shiite confrontation. "This consolidates the belief that the STL is subjected to manipulation by certain strong powers," he stressed.
Asked whether the Syrians are the ones behind Hariri's assassination (a slogan Jumblatt used to adopt in the post-assassination phase), the Democratic Gathering leader quickly answered: "I don't know anymore."
Jumblatt concluded his interview with the Tunisian magazine by noting that he started to sense a new tone in the rhetoric of the head of the Future movement MP Saad Hariri, Rafiq Hariri's son, saying that this new tone has nothing to do with insults and should be distinguished from the electoral campaign speeches. "I will seek to build the future from a centrist position and through returning to Kamal Jumblatt's heritage and ignoring the war drums that are being beaten since a long time," he added.
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