Druze delegation visits Deriane to reaffirm 'strengthening coexistence'

The mufti of the Republic, Abdellatif Deriane, received on Thursday, at the headquarters of Dar al-Fatwa in Beirut, a delegation representing Druze Sheikh Akl Sami Abi al-Mona, consisting of Sheikhs Gandi Makarem and Sami Abdel Khalek.

After the meeting, Sheikh Makarem said he "conveyed to the mufti an oral message from Sheikh Abi al-Mona, reaffirming the depth of the relationship between Dar al-Fatwa [the highest Sunni authority] and the Druze Dar [the highest authority of that community], which is based on mutual respect and understanding around national principles."

"We also reiterated the importance of coexistence, and together decided to strengthen the immunity of the internal scene in the face of national and regional challenges, through collaboration among the different national and community components," he continued.

Such calls for calm between the Druze and Sunni communities have multiplied since the tragic events in the Syrian region of Sweida in July 2025, during deadly clashes between the Druze population of the area, Sunni clans and the new Syrian Sunni authorities. Fears of the conflict spilling over into Lebanon between the Druze and Sunni communities have prompted the leadership of both groups to prevent incidents internally.