Lebanese Druse spiritual leaders hold a unique meeting

A unique meeting was held two days ago between the Top Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Al-Aql Sami Abi Al-Muna and Sheikh Nasser Al-Din Al-Gharib . It is the second such meeting in the recent days , after the confusion that occurred about the position of Sheikh Al-Aql, and Al-Gharib’s refusal to elect Abi Al-Muna for this post, instead he named himself also Sheikh Al- Aql under the political auspices of the head of the “democratic” party, Talal Arslan.

The meeting was portrayed in the media as a result of an Arslan-Jumblatt rapprochement , given that the current Sheikh al Akl is close to the head of the “Progressive Socialist” party Walid Jumblatt, and based on the Ghraib’s closeness to Arslan, it seemed like a new page between the two political parties after a period of rivalry and tension following the 2022 parliamentary elections

Informed sources say that the meeting was symbolic and won’t lead to political rapprochement between Jumblatt and Arslan.

In an interview with An-Nahar, the sources indicated that “the aim of the meetings was to reduce the tension following the dispute over several files related to the Druze sect, and to emphasize staying away from politics and ending problems through dialogue with the aim of reunification and avoiding divisions in the ranks of the Druze community.” sect.”

However, the meetings did not touch on the file that deals with the Sheikh Al position because according to the sources, “it is a settled file and there is no discussion about the legitimacy of Sheikh Al-Aql Sami Abi Al-Muna , and the naming of Al Ghareeb a stye other Sheikh Al is unconstitutional .

Regarding Jumblatt’s position about the meeting, the sources say, “The Mukhtara palace ( Jumblatts headquarters supports any rapprochement project that takes place within the ranks of the Druze community , neither did Khaldeh ( Aslan’s headquarters) had anything to do withe meeting . In other words the meeting was strictly religious

The sources added that there no other such meeting scheduled in the near term

Translated from An Nahar