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L'Orient-Le Jour
2 days ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Druze Sheikh Aql extends a hand to Hijri: Are Lebanese Druze working toward de-escalation in Sweida?
As a fragile cease-fire takes hold in the Syrian Druze province of Sweida, Lebanon's Druze Sheikh Aql Sami Abi al-Mona (spiritual leader) contacted on Saturday Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, the controversial spiritual leader of the Druze community in Syria. The discussion may seem surprising given that Sheikh Hijri is known for his hardline stance toward the new Syrian authorities and his close ties with Sheikh Mouaffaq Tarif, the leader of the Druze community in Israel. He also called on Israel to intervene during the clashes in Sweida. This has drawn the ire of Walid Joumblatt, the political leader of the Druze in Lebanon, despite his reportedly close ties with Abi two religious leaders discussed the need to ease tensions between the Druze and the Sunni Bedouins following the clashes in Sweida, addressing the exodus of residents...
L'Orient-Le Jour
21-07-2025
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Violence in Sweida: Druze Sheik Akl receives support from Rai
Druze Sheik Akl, Sami Abi al-Mona, received a call Monday from Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, during which the latter "expressed his support for the Druze community and its members," at a time when violent clashes last week pitted Druze against Sunni Bedouins in Sweida, Syria. A cease-fire that took effect Sunday brought an end to the violence, which left more than 1,000 people dead in one week. The two religious leaders also discussed the possibility of holding a "spiritual summit to discuss the current situation and work toward civil peace and national unity," according to a statement relayed by the state-run National News Agency (NNA). The sheikh also received calls and messages of support from Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, Bishop Boulos Matar, the president of the Bar Elias municipality, Rida Mays, and the Islamic-Christian Dialogue Committee member Mohammad Yassine. He also received at his home in Shanay several figures who came to offer their support. 'Distance Lebanon from conflicts' In a statement Monday, President Joseph Aoun praised "the rational stances of the mufti of the republic, Abdellatif Deriane, and Druze Sheik Akl, Mona, former minister Walid Joumblatt, and former prime ministers Najib Mikati, Fouad Siniora and Tammam Salam, who helped ease tensions and distance Lebanon from the conflicts surrounding it." He also criticized those who "raised the tone in response to the unfortunate events that recently occurred in Syria." Aoun on Monday called on Lebanese "to unite their efforts and act in an objective and responsible manner" in order to distance the country from conflicts in the region. He said his aim is to "ensure the country's security and prevent the outbreak of a war that no one will be able to withstand." "This is an opportunity to protect Lebanon, as we did during the conflict between Israel and Iran, during which we made every effort to keep Lebanon out of the war," he said. The events in Sweida have raised fears of spillover and sectarian tensions in Lebanon. It is in this context that Sheikhs Deriane and Mona on Friday, during a phone call, called to "avoid falling into the trap of sedition." The head of state, chaired a meeting Friday on the "security situation" in the country, while Druze leader and former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Joumblatt on Sunday called for the opening of a dialogue among all parties in Syria under the authorities' leadership. In contrast to these calls for calm, former Druze minister Wi'am Wahab, for his part, called for armed struggle in Sweida.
Nahar Net
17-07-2025
- Nahar Net
Druze spiritual leader urges Sweida armed groups and Hezbollah to disarm
by Naharnet Newsdesk 17 July 2025, 15:58 Druze spiritual leader in Lebanon Sheikh Sami Abi al-Mona has expressed his fear of sectarian tensions in Lebanon against the backdrop of Syria's Sweida events. In an interview, published Thursday in local An-Nahar newspaper, Abi al-Mona warned against transferring the conflict to Lebanon and urged both Sweida armed groups and Lebanese Hezbollah to hand over their arms to the state. Al-Mona said the decision of war and peace should be in the hands of the state. "We say this to the people of Sweida and to Hezbollah." The Druze spiritual leader added that Hezbollah has already caused losses to Lebanon and that now is the time to build a state and disarm the group through dialogue yet without procrastination. "Hezbollah's weapons today would not deter Israel but would rather cause an internal conflict," he said.
