French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa (right) greet each other after a joint press conference following their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 7, 2025. (Credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP.)
Druze leader Walid Jumblatt thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for his "courage and audacity," following the reception at the Elysee on Wednesday of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, during a first controversial visit to the West by the de facto leader of Syria.
"Dear President Macron, I congratulate you on your courage and audacity in favor of the advent of a new Syria, free from oppression and dictatorship, in the face of dismantling projects carried by certain external powers. Thank you for this great support in favor of the stability of Syria and Lebanon," wrote the former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP).
Last Friday, Jumblatt traveled for the second time to Syria to meet its new leader, since the fall of the dictatorial regime of Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8, 2024. After the deadly clashes that occurred about ten days ago between Syrian Druze and Sunnis, raising fears of a threat of partition of the country, the former PSP leader renewed his unconditional support for the unity of Syria, on which he largely believes Lebanon's unity depends.
For Jumblatt, it is about vigorously defending the Arab anchoring of the Druze and refusing Israel any alleged right to defend this community, which has a significant presence in southern Syria, at the border with the Hebrew state.
Israel is accused by some experts of wanting to sow division in this country, a precursor to the partition of the country, notably to avoid having a strong Islamist power at its border.