In the final, 16th episode of the program “Witness of the Era,” Walid Jumblatt discussed the key events of his political life. He said that the ousted Syrian regime and Hezbollah had extensive surveillance capabilities targeting people entering Lebanon, particularly through Beirut International Airport. According to him, checkpoints existed there that made it possible to track the movements of individuals of interest to those structures.
Jumblatt spoke at length about the assassination of Wissam al-Hassan, head of the intelligence branch of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, on October 19, 2012. He suggested that Hassan may have been under surveillance from the time he left Paris, where he lived with his family, and that the booby-trapped vehicle had been prepared in advance. Jumblatt noted that, despite his professional experience, Hassan considered Lebanon safe for him, and admitted that his death was especially painful because of their close friendship.
The politician denied reports in the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar about a secret meeting with former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah concerning the movement’s participation in the war in Syria. Jumblatt said he did not remember any such closed-door talks and that his meetings with Nasrallah had been held openly. He also confirmed that he had publicly opposed Hezbollah’s military involvement on the side of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Speaking about the 2016 presidential election, Jumblatt explained that he supported Michel Aoun in an effort to strengthen reconciliation between the Druze and Christians, regardless of the politician’s ties to Syria and Iran. He said that the October 17, 2019 protests exceeded his expectations, transcended sectarian and regional divisions, and led to the resignation of Saad Hariri’s government. Jumblatt criticized the lack of reforms and accountability during the economic crisis and said he was ready to undergo any investigation into the sources of his wealth.
Regarding the Beirut port explosion, Jumblatt suggested that the chemical substances stored there might have been connected to the transport of materials to Syria along routes controlled by Hezbollah, although he acknowledged that he did not know the exact circumstances of the blast. He accused unnamed parties of obstructing the investigation and threatening people involved in it. Discussing the war in Gaza, Jumblatt called Hamas part of the Palestinian people, said that the October 7 attack had once again brought the Palestinian issue to the forefront, and warned of the risk of the mass expulsion of Palestinians and a new Nakba—the catastrophe associated with the mass Palestinian exodus in 1948.
Jumblatt also said that Hezbollah had gradually become drawn into a large-scale confrontation with Israel, which led to the explosions of communications devices and the killing of several of its leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah. In his view, Israel had spent years building an extensive intelligence network inside the movement, but it was impossible to destroy it completely—political and ideological approaches were needed. Speaking about Syria, Jumblatt admitted that he had not expected the Assad regime to fall so quickly at the end of 2024. He subsequently contacted President Ahmad al-Sharaa and urged him to preserve the country’s unity by linking Jabal al-Druze with Damascus. He stressed the need for accountability and reconciliation, rejected Hikmat al-Hijri’s appeal to Israel, and said that al-Hijri did not represent all Druze. Jumblatt categorically rejected any Israeli presence in Jabal al-Druze.
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What role does Walid Jumblatt play in Lebanese politics as a Druze leader and head of the Progressive Socialist Party, and why is his position important for relations between the Druze and Christians? — Walid Jumblatt is one of Lebanon’s most influential Druze representatives and the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party. His political role involves defending the interests of the Druze community, maintaining a balance among Lebanon’s political forces, and participating in negotiations between rival camps. His position is important for Druze-Christian relations because, in areas where the two communities live together, political cooperation or confrontation between their leaders can directly affect stability and intercommunal trust.
What is Jabal al-Druze in southern Syria, why is the region particularly important to the Druze, and how does its connection with Damascus affect the question of Syrian unity? — Jabal al-Druze, also known as As-Suwayda Governorate, is a predominantly Druze mountainous region in southern Syria. It is especially important as a historical and cultural center for Syria’s Druze, associated with the memory of resistance to the French Mandate and the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925. Maintaining its connection with Damascus supports Syria’s formal unity, although local residents seek broad autonomy in security and governance. The region therefore simultaneously seeks to protect its distinct identity and oppose the country’s partition.
Who is Hikmat al-Hijri, and why might his appeals to Israel have caused disagreement among Syrian Druze over foreign intervention? — Hikmat al-Hijri is one of the spiritual leaders of Syria’s Druze and an influential figure in As-Suwayda. His appeals to Israel for protection or support may have been viewed by supporters as an attempt to protect the population from threats, while opponents saw them as risking foreign intervention and undermining Syria’s sovereignty. This reflects a broader division between those who consider outside assistance necessary for the community’s security and those who fear dependence on Israel and the possible weakening of Syrian unity.
Full version: Jumblatt reveals how Assad hunted his opponents inside Lebanon