Jumblat to Nasrallah: Palestinians Should Be Allowed to Decide their Fate Themselves

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Monday that years ago Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has sought to liberate all of Lebanese occupied territory, but the party is now seeking to liberate the whole of Palestine from Israeli occupation.

He said in response to Nasrallah's recent speech: “Let the Palestinians decide their fate themselves.”

He made his remarks in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website.

“We back Nasrallah's call to liberate Lebanese land, meaning the Shebaa Farms, but Palestinians should be left to decide Palestine's fate,” he added.

During a speech on Friday, Nasrallah had declared: “Entire Palestine, from the sea to the river, must return to its people. No one in the world, no king, prince, sayyed, leader, president or state has the right to give up a single grain of sand of Palestine's land.”

He added that Hizbullah will continue to “protect our country alongside the national Lebanese army" and that it will not "abandon Palestine.”

Addressing local developments, Jumblat lamented the failure to form a new government, warning of the spread of vacuum in a number of officials posts.

“The National Struggle Front believes that the political deadlock can no longer continue, especially ahead of next year's presidential elections,” he stressed.

“The Front is therefore studying a number of solutions that may help end the deadlock away from theories of conspiracies,” he stated.

On this note, the MP praised former Prime Minister Saad Hariri's recent initiative in which he voiced his readiness to resume dialogue with or without the formation of a new government in order to resolve pending disputes, most notably devising a national defense strategy.

Hariri announced this position during a speech on Friday.

Moreover, Jumblat lauded Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's recent remarks in support of President Michel Suleiman.

Aoun had voiced last week his rejection of media campaigns against Suleiman, saying that despite differences in positions, the presidency should not be targeted in such a “debased” manner.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 31
Missing --karim_m3 05 August 2013, 17:05

I think Jumblatt is a genocidal lunatic, but I actually agree with everything he just said here.

Thumb lebanon_first 05 August 2013, 17:33

So Karim you are not ready to spill every drop of Lebanese blood and keep Lebanon in a state of war forever to liberate every inch of palestine? That is a change in heart!

Missing --karim_m3 05 August 2013, 18:44

No its not a change of heart. My only concern is Lebanon, and the Arab-Israeli war should not be our problem. Instead of people waiting for FSA-Al Qaeda to help them and to tilt the regional balance, they should be concerned only with Lebanon.

I dislike everything about Jumblatt, but I'll give him credit where its due.

Missing VINCENT 06 August 2013, 02:25

Well said Karim. The Palestinian cause, fate and/or Arab-Israeli war in not for Lebanon to embrace and take action to liberate them. If Lebanon had the military power and/or some other strategic advantage in the region that gives us the ability to slap Israel around and make real changes, it would be different story. Having said that, Lebanon can't afford to sit ideal re. the Palestinian problem inside Lebanon either which in my opinion has been prolonged by Iran and H.A. We need to stress the reality that Israel's withdrawal from the South had a lot to do with H.A.'s and Syria's commitment to keep the Palestinian's at bay.

Default-user-icon Pancho Velliz (Guest) 05 August 2013, 17:37

When siding with the Palestinians benefited the low life scum bag feudal warlord, he went on a spree of carnage and now he finds himself in a position of letting the Palestinians get slaughtered silently by low life scum bag leaders in Palestine and elsewhere. Did I call Jumblat a low life scum bag feudal warlord?

Thumb bipartisan 05 August 2013, 18:27

Palestine israel and all the folks around. When was the last time we had a decent conversation about those topics. As far as i know at the baabda dialogue session the hall subject took no longer than half an hour to find solutions, yet they remain unimplemented.
That is the secret of lebanese politics. NO ETHICS. Hezbollah is saying today what the Kataeb were saying the day before and soon the lebanese forces will say what Hezbollah is saying because the change in power balance. Yet all those comments are irresponsible, at some stage we will have to deal with the palestinian issue but not as long as they are a factor in the lebanese political bickering, because nobody would give in

Missing --karim_m3 05 August 2013, 18:50

The only part of your post that I agree with is "God Save Lebanon from barbaric influences and from terrorists."

Otherwise you are wrong. The Palestinians, chief among them Hamas, sold out and stopped caring about Palestine a long time ago. Their wars and concerns are not our problem and Hamas and other PLO remnants should be classified by Lebanon as terrorist organizations.

No country has paid for the Arab-Israeli war like we have. Why should Palestine and the Palestinians be our problem? We accepted them into this countries as refugees, they incite 15-year civil war. Several years ago, they caused trouble in Nahr El Bared. Last month, Palestinian terrorists were seen fighting with Assir? Where does it end?

Default-user-icon George (Guest) 05 August 2013, 19:34

Why just Arab......Southern? Three religions have a claim to Jerusalem. And one can argue the Jews where there first.

I'm not saying that Israel should control Jerusalem but your argument doesn't make sense.

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 08:07

-FlameThower - Just think that if in the late 1980's Lebanon would have signed the treaty with Israel, and not let it be torn up by the Syrian occupiers, you would have been visiting Jerusalem long ago, just like your brothers in religion from Egypt and Jordan.
- Southern - In which copy of your Bible or whatever Religious book you read, does it say that Jesus was born in Jerusalem? The Temple Mount was holy to the Jewish people, read your Bible, a couple of thousand years before Islam came into being, and Al Aksa was built.

Thumb cedre 05 August 2013, 18:55

Even kids understand hizbos/wilayat faqih tricks. Pretend to fight for palestine, meanwhile invade iraq, afghanistan, syria, lebanon, bahrain.
Le retour de flamme va etre terrible...

Missing samiam 05 August 2013, 19:06

Can't believe I am in agreement with karim here---agree with Jumblatt that the palestinian cause be the responsibility of the palestinian people and not another raison d'être and another excuse for hizb iran to keep its arms.

there is no part of lebanon under occupation and this self proclaimed resistance should take lessons from the french resistance during ww2 and assimilate into society after the liberation of the country instead of becoming a militia group armed and controlled by foreign power.

Missing arturo 05 August 2013, 19:44

Does Nasrallah have some peace proposal to offer, or does he want to maintain the status quo until there are enough wars to cause a separation of the Pal and Israeli sides?

Missing samiam 05 August 2013, 19:59

you are saying the 'arab' populace--arabs may speak arabic, but that's about it in similarities. An omani is different than an iraqi or an egyptian, moroccan or algerian. stop with with pan arab nonsense--the only people who want it are the ones who want to exploit it.

Missing samiam 05 August 2013, 20:35

I think most people in the world support a homeland for the Palestinians--it is a matter of what means you employ to try to accomplish the goals. iran and its proxies believe somehow that they can blow israel out of the water--guess who its neighbors are and how will they be affected by this.

if you believe that nuking israel and making the rest of the eastern med a nuclear wasteland accomplishes your goals, then please spare us and commit hara-kari and be done with it.

Missing --karim_m3 05 August 2013, 21:05

Well said FT. I forgot to acknowledge that part.

Default-user-icon Ponderozo Bishkaban (Guest) 05 August 2013, 21:35

Here's another Arreet 7akeh. But at least this one has some decency for not doing it on almost daily like the Grand Doc of Art 7akeh. Has anyone noticed the long and supposedly "sensitive antennae" that this Arreet 7akeh has that seem to pick up nothing more than noise? Allow me to let you in on a secret: these long "sensitive antennae" are nothing more than donkey ears camouflaged as conic objects mistaken for antennae. You should thank me for this revelation, but you really don't have to.

Default-user-icon Arik (Guest) 05 August 2013, 22:12

Good for once FT. Im waiting for you with pleasure... no irony. Most Lebanese most welcome. Maybe one day, when the hype will come down and be able to talk like neighbours...

Thumb beiruti 05 August 2013, 22:12

Yet another sign that Hezbollah will shortly be in need of some new reason to exist. The Israeli-Palestinian talks will bear fruit in 9 months with a deal that recognizes Palestinian sovereignty and the establishment of the State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel.
This will happen because of the demographic imperitive faced by the Israelis. If they delay any longer in seeking a two state solution, the Palestinians will no longer be interested since their numbers will mean that in a single state, they will outnumber the Jewish population of the combined area "from the sea to the river". So this peace will come.

Thumb beiruti 05 August 2013, 22:14

When it does, what is Hezbollah to do?? Its arms were justified to end the Israeli occupation of Lebanon which ended 13 years ago. Now they exist to liberate Palestine, which will be liberated by a peace treaty very shortly. Then what? Iran is wanting to open dialogue with the US over its nuclear program and the US wants these talks.
Then what for Hezbollah?? Why should it be armed any more?? What is its raison d etre?? What is it resisting besides mental health?

Default-user-icon Long John (Guest) 05 August 2013, 22:53

Let me remind you all that 20% of the citizens in Israel are Palestinians. we are proud to have Arabs in the Senate, Medical and Hospitals, Judges, Media and T.V, Business owners etc.
None of them will prefer to move and leave under Palestinian government in the new state. they won't have the freedom and justice level they get right now.
From the other hand, Palestinian P.M declare several times that Jews presence will not be tolerated in the "New Palestine".
So, if we take a side the big questions (Land, Religious and Anti-Semitic)and considering the Hamas in Gaza and Palestinians in Lebanon and Syria there's no justification to negotiate with Palestinians at all. we (Israeli Jews) need to talk with biggest Arab leader that represents all Arabs. I wonder who would it be.
thanks for listening.

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 16:10

Long John - You are mistaken. 20% of the citizens of Israel are Moslem or Christian Arabs, not Palestinians.
You are correct however in saying that if there was a vote for all these people to decide whether they wanted to stay in Israel or move to the Palestinian Authority, I doubt that you would find 200-300 who would agree to give up their high standard of life.

Missing helicopter 05 August 2013, 23:41

So have HA help us protect us from them by helping the LAF to disarm them and then HA gives his arms to the LAF. This we we are protected from both the Palestinians and HA.
I almost gave you thumbs up, but then I read your last sentence and reached for the wine to give me solace.

Missing helicopter 05 August 2013, 23:42

God bless Lebanon and save it from HA with help from the LAF.

Missing helicopter 05 August 2013, 23:45

the masses in Lebanon ??????????????
Did you mean to say "the masses in greater Syria" bigjohn?

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 08:13

-Southern - once again you are misrepresenting facts.
Let us take your comment that Jerusalem is a Christian city first. How does this come about? Jesus was born a Jew, there is no arguing that fact from the Bible, therefore if he was grown up in Jerusalem, it means that he was growing up in a Jewish city. Christianity only arose over 2000 years after all that is written in the bible about the Jewish people in Jerusalem.
As for your comments on it being a Moslem city. Even I, the infidel, know that Islam came into existance over 600 years after the birth of Christ, so.......

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 08:16

Congratulations Mr. Jumblatt for your brave words.
As the Palestinian leaders have taken upon themselves the task of sitting down to talk peace with Israel, don't you think that there should be at least one Arab leader who will step up and say "The day after the signing of a Palestine-Israeli Peace Treaty, my country will also sign a peace treaty with Israel"

Thumb scorpyonn 06 August 2013, 09:58

Great comment! You are so right- they will find some other fault with Israel to keep the tension high and their wily agendas alive.

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 11:56

As you can see by the negative vote to my comment, the real reason for not wanting peace with Israel is not the Palestinian excuse. Although the whole world understands that Israel has a problem with the Palestinian people, and that they are now sitting down to solve these problems, it also realises that she has no problems with any other of the Arab States, but they have a problem with Israel.

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 10:40

What is a Palestinian?
Many years ago a friend of mine married a Jewish girl born in Tel Aviv in 1945. Her birth certificate issued by the British authorities gave her nationality as "Palestinian".
Many years later my friend was in a discussion with some Palestinians in the Balata, Nablus Refugee Camp. They were discussing the possibility of elections for a Palestinian Authority. My friend asked
"who would be able to vote?", and the answer came back "anyone who was born in Palestine, their spouse and their children". So my friend just asked "In that case, when are the elections, as you have just given me and my children the vote".
So, who is a Palestinian?

Missing phillipo 06 August 2013, 10:49

"How is Israel able to get away with NUKES and no other country in the middle east allowed to have NUKES."
Maybe for the simple reason that although Israel has nuclear weapons for over 40 years, it has never threatened to annihilate another country, whereas countries like Iran, who are aiming their sights towards nuclear weapons, are threatening day after day to wipe out Israel.

Thumb _mowaten_ 06 August 2013, 11:32

“Let the Palestinians decide their fate themselves” is just another way for Joumby to say "abandon the Palestinian cause, do like the fake Arabs from the Gulf"