The Druze Spiritual Council strongly criticized the non-invitation of a Druze representative to a recent meeting of the Supreme Defense Council, which is headed by President Michel Aoun. This came amid efforts to contain the recent dispute in Aley.
As approved by Lebanese customs, the Army’s chief of staff should be from the Druze sect. The post is currently occupied by Major General Amin al-Aram, who directly follows the post of the Army Commander, while the director of intelligence, who was present at the Supreme Council’s meeting, comes in the third line.
The position of the Druze Council’s meeting, which was attended by the head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), Walid Jumblatt, was placed by ministerial sources close to Aoun in a political context. The sources stressed that the non-invitation of the chief of-staff did not target a particular sect.
PSP MP Hadi Abu al-Hassan criticized the move, saying that it made the Defense Council lose its legitimacy.
“If the Civil Defense Law was adhered to and only the concerned ministers were present, we would not have raised the question mark. However, individuals not concerned with the matter were invited, such as as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Selim Jreissati,” he commented.
He added that the recent meeting was held to discuss the recent dispute in Chouf, stressing that it was a “delicate matter related to the Druze confession.”
“Maj. Gen. al-Aram was closely following up with the situation alongside the army commander, and yet he was not invited,” al-Hassan emphasized.
In response, ministerial sources close to Aoun noted that the chief of staff generally represented the Army Commander when the latter was absent, adding that General Joseph Aoun attended the meeting.
