Jumblatt severed relations with Syria due to his “pair of jeans”

Al–Joumhouria daily reported that, four months ago, the head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt made a flying visit to Damascus to meet with his friend Maj. Gen. Mohammad Nassif. Jumblatt conveyed to Nassif his fears regarding the crackdown of the Syrian regime against its own people. The session between the two men lasted for hours and the two parties got the opportunity to explain “their side of the story”.

The daily added that at times they saw eye to eye and at others they had divergent points of view. However, a surprise was in store for Jumblatt that day. Nassif conveyed to him Assad’s invitation to visit him at the people’s palace.   

According to well-informed sources, Jumblatt could not hide his surprise and confusion as soon as he heard the news. Jumblatt immediately apologized, by saying that he is wearing a pair of jeans which are inappropriate for such a visit. The sources added that by refusing Assad’s invitation and returning to Beirut without meeting the Syrian president, Jumblatt exacerbated the already-tensed relations.

The sources stressed that had Jumblat been willing, the relations could have been salvaged, however it appeared that Jumblatt had previously decided to sever all ties linking him to the Syrian regime. 

 The sources revealed that after his return from Damascus, Jumblatt was present at a restaurant in the Chouf Mountains when he took the microphone from the singer and began slandering the Syrian regime.

“A greeting for the people of Daraa, Homs and Damascus brush lands, to all rebels who are struggling for their freedom. Shame on some of the Druze mountain residents who were feeble”, Jumblatt said.

The sources said assertively that the relations between the head of the Progressive Socialist Party with Hezbollah, the key ally of the Syrian regime, are also aggravating.