Lebanese Druze leader Jumblatt highlights Türkiye’s role in supporting Syrian people

Prominent Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt emphasized Türkiye’s role in supporting the Syrian people, stating that his recent visit to Ankara aimed to promote dialogue with Syria’s new leadership and foster regional cooperation.

In an interview with Lebanon’s LBC television channel, Jumblatt elaborated on the objectives of his Türkiye visit, underscoring efforts to establish communication channels with Syria and its new leadership under Ahmed al-Sharaa.

“We are developing a mechanism to communicate with Syria and its new leadership. I am not afraid of Türkiye’s current role. Today, Türkiye is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Türkiye, and what sets it apart is its great diversity. Türkiye has embraced the Syrian people,” Jumblatt stated.

Regional cooperation and limiting Israeli influence

Jumblatt highlighted the importance of aligning with nations capable of countering Israel’s regional influence.

“The most important thing is to cooperate with countries that can limit Israel’s regional influence and expansion, and Türkiye is one of those countries,” he said.

Jumblatt had previously congratulated Sharaa on Dec. 15, 2024, following the fall of the Assad regime. On Dec. 22, he met Sharaa in Damascus, and on Dec. 24, he was received by President Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.

Walid Jumblatt’s legacy and leadership role

Walid Jumblatt, the son of Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) founder Kamal Jumblatt, assumed party leadership after his father’s assassination in 1977 during the Lebanese Civil War. He led the PSP for 46 years before resigning in June 2023, passing the leadership to his son, Taymour Jumblatt.

As one of the most influential figures within Lebanon‘s Druze community, Jumblatt has remained vocal about regional issues.

In his 2015 testimony at the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon, he accused the Syrian regime of orchestrating his father’s assassination.