Walid Joumblatt, on May 22, 2026 during an interview with L'Orient-Le Jour at his residence in Clemenceau, Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Following the fragile cease-fire agreement announced Wednesday between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. auspices, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt told L'Orient-Le Jour that the deal still contains "gray areas" and suggested expanding its scope to include Iran to help ensure its implementation. Meanwhile, opponents of Hezbollah welcomed the announcement, while stressing that it must be accompanied by the swift and effective disarmament of the group."It is a framework agreement that does not mention an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon," Joumblatt told L'Orient-Le Jour. "We need to see how to negotiate an Israeli withdrawal with a view to deploying the Lebanese Army in the South."His comments came as the Lebanese Army began deploying on Thursday in Debbine (Marjayoun) following the...
Following the fragile cease-fire agreement announced Wednesday between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. auspices, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt told L'Orient-Le Jour that the deal still contains "gray areas" and suggested expanding its scope to include Iran to help ensure its implementation. Meanwhile, opponents of Hezbollah welcomed the announcement, while stressing that it must be accompanied by the swift and effective disarmament of the group."It is a framework agreement that does not mention an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon," Joumblatt told L'Orient-Le Jour. "We need to see how to negotiate an Israeli withdrawal with a view to deploying the Lebanese Army in the South."His comments came as the Lebanese Army began deploying on Thursday in Debbine (Marjayoun) following...
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