Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa vows non-interference in Lebanon
Walid Jumblatt (L), the Druze former leader of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), shakes hands with Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) during a visit to Damascus on December 22, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Syria’s newly appointed leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, assured Lebanese Druze leaders on Sunday that his administration would respect Lebanon‘s sovereignty and refrain from any negative interference in its internal affairs.
During a meeting in Damascus with prominent Lebanese Druze leaders Walid Jumblatt and his son Taymur Jumblatt, Sharaa stated, “Syria will not exert negative interference in Lebanon at all. It respects Lebanon’s sovereignty, the unity of its territories, the independence of its decisions, and its security stability.”
Bilateral talks in Damascus
Walid Jumblatt, former head of Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and a key figure in the Druze community, traveled to the Syrian capital for the high-profile meeting. After bilateral discussions with Sharaa, the Syrian leader addressed the press, reflecting on the nation’s recent political developments.
“The regime worked to disrupt Syrian unity,” Sharaa said, referring to the deposed government of Bashar al-Assad. Highlighting the humanitarian toll of the prolonged conflict, he remarked, “For years, families—children, mothers, and siblings—were torn apart, as seen in countless media images. However, the operation we conducted was smooth and effective.”
Sharaa emphasized the preservation of civilian infrastructure during the transition, stating, “Look, no one was displaced in the big city. Not a single piece of it was destroyed.” He further accused the ousted Assad regime of attempting to cling to power through “a sectarian approach.”
A new chapter in Syrian-Lebanese relations
In a phone call on December 15, Walid Jumblatt congratulated Ahmed al-Sharaa on the fall of the Assad regime, expressing hope for a new era of Syrian-Lebanese relations based on mutual respect and cooperation.
A historic relationship
The meeting also carried symbolic significance given the historical ties between the Jumblatt family and Syria. Walid Jumblatt, who has led the PSP and the Lebanese Druze community since 1977 following the assassination of his father, Kamal Jumblatt, remains one of Lebanon’s most influential political figures.
Kamal Jumblatt, founder of the PSP, was assassinated on March 16, 1977, two years after the Lebanese Civil War began. His death, which remains a source of controversy, has long been attributed by Walid Jumblatt to the Syrian regime.
In 2015, Walid Jumblatt testified before the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon, stating his belief that the Syrian government was responsible for his father’s killing.
