Handshake in Damascus between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Joumblatt, April 25, 2026. (Credit: SANA/Facebook)

Joumblatt back in Damascus: Reconciling ‘Greater Lebanon’ with a ‘unified Syria’

The visit comes on the eve of the opening of public trials against officials linked to Bashar al-Assad’s fallen regime, including Ibrahim Houeija, accused of orchestrating the assassination of PSP founder and Joumblatt’s father.

by · L'Orient Today

Former Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Joumblatt was back in Damascus, at the People’s Palace, where he was received Saturday by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The visit must be read in light of its timing and context, against a backdrop of regional shifts — particularly growing Israeli threats facing both Lebanon and Syria. More from Joumblatt Walid Joumblatt: Yes to negotiations with Israel, but not without Berri While the visit’s objectives are many, they converge in meaning: the importance of preserving both a unified Syria and “Greater Lebanon,” while strengthening coordination between the two countries on an equal footing and easing shared fears and concerns.The Druze leader’s visit comes after Sharaa returned from a tour in the Gulf. The Syrian president participated as well in a European Union meeting in...

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