FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
BEIRUT – Walid Jumblatt is the grand old man of Middle East politics. He was everyone’s friend and enemy. At twenty he was the golden boy of Beirut with a crusader castle as a mountain home, motorcycles and mythical girls. At the age of 28, his father was killed and he inherited the Druze party. “You don’t choose your own fate” is his most famous line. He survives a car bomb. Kalashnikov in hand goes through the civil war. And he does it. A few months ago he handed over the Progressive Socialist Party to his son Tamayur.
They are only a year younger than Israel. Is this the beginning you’re thinking of?
“Even before that, in the 19th century, when the first Zionists moved here.”
For you, as for Hamas, should Israel not exist?
“Many continued to say that they wanted to drive the Jews from the Jordan into the sea. Not me. In my opinion, the correct solution would be Israel within the borders of the 1948 British Mandate and a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip within the borders of UN Resolution 242 of 1967. Then there is Jerusalem.”
Another suffocating knot.
“Only if you don’t deal with it. De Gaulle, a great man, called for Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories and the internationalization of Jerusalem in November 1967. It is clear that otherwise the war will continue. Where are the Craxis, the Andreottis, the Berlinguers who knew how to listen to everyone and communicate?
Both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah here in Lebanon claim that Iran did not take part on October 7th.
“It’s not relevant. Tell me which liberation movement in the world does not seek help from abroad. The FLN in Algeria asked Nasser’s Egypt, Mandela in South Africa asked the USSR, the Irish IRA, the Basque Age… they all sought help. Rather, we must ask ourselves why the Palestinians, who are 70% Sunni, did not find Arab support and had to turn to Iran?
Is comparing Hamas to Mandela a provocation or an insult?
“Mandela was labeled a terrorist. Like Arafat, with whom they then signed agreements. It always depends on who wins.”
So is terrorism a good and right thing?
“I did not say that. I say: give him an alternative. Give him a truce and then negotiate. Perhaps the hostages will be released in exchange for the Palestinians being held in prison. If Netanyahu doesn’t do it, it means he wants to continue killing civilians and children under the pretext of Hamas. Is your violence moral?’
Israel says it must first destroy Hamas.
“You can destroy Gaza, which has largely already happened, kill the main leaders of Hamas, but not the idea, not an entire nation.” If it is not called Hamas, it will be something else that violates the right to a life of dignity and dignity Freedom demands.”
Will the war spread to Lebanon?
“Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, wants to maintain this level of tension in order to keep the Israeli forces busy and thus help the Palestinians.” We don’t know what the Israelis or the US want to do after they have created the most powerful “armada” since stationed off our coasts during the Second World War. They say deterrence against Iran, but who knows? We have to be ready.