Jumblat calls for calm, refuses that 'Israel uses clerics for political ends'

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat tweeted Thursday that the arrest of Archbishop Mussa al-Hajj must be addressed calmly.

"It would be better to address the issue in a calm way, instead of making noise about it," Jumblat said, adding that it is important during these hard circumstances to respect the institutions.

Jumblat said that he refuses that Israel uses the position of clerics in an attempt to smuggle money for political ends.

Al-Hajj had been questioned for 12 hours earlier this week upon his return from Israel with large quantities of medicines, foodstuffs and canned goods, in addition to $460,000.

A military court summoned him for further questioning Wednesday, which drew angry reactions from Christian leaders.

Many Lebanese rely on remittances from family abroad to weather a crushing economic crisis that began in 2019, but transporting products or money from Israel to Lebanon is illegal.