Influential Druze leader and longtime Lebanese political figure Walid Jumblatt may be retired, officially, but that didn’t stop him from opining of the ongoing Israeli invasion and occupation of his country, and it quickly because an issue for the US State Department.
In recent interviews, Jumblatt warned of Israel’s expansionist ambitions toward the country and called for a national dialogue instead of unilateral demands for Hezbollah’s disarmament. He also suggested that disarmament of Hezbollah should be done in cooperation with both Iran and Israel, noting Iran retains decisive influence over the group’s armed forces.
The State Department wasn’t happy, declaring that the US would only accept the existing stance on disarmament, which they claimed was reciprocal despite Israel never actually committing to either withdrawing or stopping its attacks on Lebanon if Hezbollah is disarmed.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visits southern Lebanon
They similarly ruled out Iranian involvement, and the spokesman declared “Walid Jumblat will do and say whatever is best for Walid Jumblat, with little regard for principle, his own constituency, or the future of his country.”
Jumblatt responded today, noting that no one within Lebanon was consulted before the government accepted this framework, and that he has every right to express his opinion on the matter. The “tripartite framework” has long proven controversial in Lebanon for the lack of meaningful concessions from the other sides, and Jumblatt, while offering a plausible alternative solution, is otherwise only echoing the growing consensus that the deal was a de facto surrender of sovereignty by the negotiators.
Hezbollah is under pressure right now not just on the disarmament front, but also with the idea that the US and Israel are about to launch a new round of fighting with Iran, and are threatening Lebanon if Hezbollah in any way participates in that fighting. Hezbollah has suggested they don’t intend to, though since Israel is actively invading Lebanon at any rate, and attacking Hezbollah as the opportunity presents, any resistance by the Hezbollah forces can quickly be spun as involvement in the Iran War, a situation that could lead to yet more Israeli escalation.
At the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz is proudly championing their invasion and occupation of Lebanon and other neighboring territories as part of a successful “offensive security strategy,” and with Israel’s election built around factions trying to out-hawk one another, such escalation may be forthcoming irrespective of Hezbollah’s actions.
