The Druze Unitarian Community Council held an extended meeting at the Community House in Beirut. The meeting was attended by the Sheikh Akl of the Druze Unitarian Community, Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, along with Mr. Walid Jumblatt, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Taymour Jumblatt, various ministers, deputies, members of the Community Council, and several Druze figures and dignitaries.

The session was opened by the Sheikh Akl with a speech in which he said:
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most honorable of messengers and all the pure prophets of God.

Honorable brothers, Mr. Walid Bey Jumblatt, Excellencies, Eminences, members of the Community Council, distinguished guests, beloved ones...

We are pleased to meet you in this exceptional meeting within the framework of the General Assembly of the Community Council, and within the halls of the Community House that embraces everyone, which we hope will remain a house of gathering, meeting, and positive interaction between the members of the community, and between them and all their Lebanese partners, for the benefit of the community and the nation.
While we emphasize the importance of this meeting in light of the changes and tensions we are witnessing in our country, the neighborhood, the entire region, and the world on more than one issue and in more than one country, and in light of the economic, political, cultural, social, living, and even climatic and environmental worries and challenges we face, we see that there is an inevitable responsibility upon us all, as a political leadership, spiritual sheikhdom, community council, and a Unitarian, national, Arab, Islamic, authentic, and cohesive community—a responsibility and a duty to address a set of public issues that we cannot ignore, and which must be discussed and addressed, with insight into reality and foresight for what is to come.
Honorable leader Walid Bey Jumblatt,
I will not speak at length on political matters, as you are more aware of them, and the political reality is in crisis for all to see and hear. However, we must express our regret for the complexity, stubbornness, deadlock, lack of dialogue, inability to reach an understanding, and the thwarting of all proposed and possible settlement efforts to fill the presidential vacancy, run the state's engine, and stop the financial collapse that political matters in Lebanon have reached. At the same time, we must appreciate the balanced national centrist role you are playing at the forefront of the rational people of this country, to limit tensions and strive to save the nation from vacancy, chaos, and the collapse of institutions, in the hope that all officials within the country will take the initiative to prioritize the supreme national interest and facilitate the paths to solutions to pave the way for the required external intervention.”

He added: “Brothers and esteemed colleagues,
I will try to present some ideas in preparation for a fruitful and open discussion about the current situation, and out of a desire to hear Mr. Walid Bey's opinion in the first place, as he is the most knowledgeable and concerned at the level of the community and the nation, given his experiences, foresight, the responsibilities he bears, the sacrifices he makes, and the contributions he provides. He is always exposed to the eyes of envious, extremist instigators from all sides who harbor evil towards him and his positions. He is the guardian of the nation of diversity and dialogue, the one constantly striving to preserve reconciliation and consolidate coexistence in the Mountain, as in all of Lebanon, and is as keen on the constitutional and official institutions as he is on the institutions of the community and everything that contributes to the advancement of the Mountain and the nation, and everything that preserves the dignity of the Ma'ruf family wherever it is found.
As we wish to hear from the leadership, the esteemed colleagues who hold responsibility and knowledge, and from any of the present brothers who wish to speak, for further information, consultation, and correcting matters, we confirm from this position our interest in the national issue first, before the sectarian issue, as we are nationals deeply rooted in our national loyalty before any other loyalty. We also emphasize our focused interest in the affairs of the community as well, without any hesitation or shame, considering it a foundational community in this nation and the Levant, a guarantor of Arab identity, deeply rooted in history and conscience; with its proven authenticity, famous patriotism, and great sacrifices. The Druze Unitarians were never anything but protectors of the borders, the nations, and principles, and they never lived with the obsession of being a numerical minority, but were always a struggling majority, a conservative majority, and a majority sincere in its belonging and rootedness in the nation.
Throughout history, the Druze Unitarians have been the main pillar in establishing national unity in their homelands, the first advocates of dialogue, and the safety valve in resisting colonialism and tyranny. Even if they are peaceful by nature and take refuge in the sanctuary of their Unitarian creed and Gnostic path, they do not transgress and do not accept any transgression, being sincere in their faith, love, and social and national partnership. They have no ambition other than to live with human dignity and national pride, confirming that religion is a factor of gathering, not division, and that joint work stemming from good will and a good word is the good fruit of the message of living together.
However, the general Druze reality, brothers, has become a source of fear for the future in the midst of the changes, schemes, and conspiracies we are witnessing. This urges us toward the duty of programmed and systematic work in our society to address the challenges, to embrace Druze families and empower them in facing difficulties, to consolidate Unitarian constants and social values, to preserve faith-based, intellectual, and moral principles and foundations, and to adhere to the Arab-Islamic roots of the Unitarians, to the common Lebanese national heritage, to develop a sense of belonging and loyalty to the nation, to appreciate the immense sacrifices made by fathers and grandfathers throughout history, to participate effectively in a cultural and practical way in carrying the Unitarian message and the message of dialogue and peace, to keep pace with human progress with awareness and openness, to respect the integration between political leadership and both religious and secular societies, and to reflect together on the horizons of the future, avoiding risks and facing challenges with wisdom and realism.”

He continued: “The issue of preserving the family and values, for example, is something we raise out of concern, as it faces challenges and requires us to work to build social institutions concerned with family care and reducing family disintegration, in addition to the necessity of strengthening the Druze courts, supporting them, and expanding their framework. Blatant globalization calls on us to adhere to spiritual constants and to confront any deviation or attempt to undermine the moral and social pillars of society, through education, culture, and care, so that prevention and deterrence are based on rational, faith-based, and human logic first and foremost.
The issue of youth and curbing their migration and the emptying of villages of their sons also requires a plan that keeps pace with or compensates for the faltering state plans, to take advantage of the diverse specializations of youth and invest their energies. There is a need to express an opinion and consult on the reasons leading to the crises of unemployment and migration, both internally and at the general national level. Perhaps these reasons are linked to the continuously troubled political reality, the lack of a strategic investment plan, the scarcity of bold initiatives, the lack of encouragement for expatriates to invest in their motherland, and the impact of Syrian displacement in Lebanon and the dominance of non-Lebanese labor. The issue of investing in endowment lands requires forming a capable investment group from the members of the community, both residents and expatriates, to start some feasible projects within an integrated plan that meets the urgent need of the community first and foremost, and perhaps contributes to consolidating and capitalizing on reconciliation if done in effective, organized partnership with our Christian and Muslim partners in the Mountain. The issue of meeting the increasing healthcare, social, and educational needs requires us to spread the culture of Zakat (alms) and charity, and to organize financial support, social solidarity programs, and the relationship with the diaspora through Druze associations and the representatives of the Sheikhdom of Aql, to provide spiritual and national care for expatriates and their families on the one hand, and to establish diaspora institutions that support our institutions and families on the other. The issue of demanding the community's rights regarding jobs and key positions in the state is a matter that requires concerted efforts and raising our voices in a country where sectarian rights are still enshrined, in the hope of overcoming this sectarian division one day and abolishing privileges and quotas, and we are the most convinced of this.”

He continued: “Perhaps the most important subject today, brothers, is the issue of the protest movement in As-Suwayda, as it is a fundamental issue we approach considering that the Druze Unitarians are one Arab Ma'ruf Unitarian family, and that there is a spiritual, blood, cultural, and historical kinship among them. However, they live in homelands that have their sovereignty, independence, and borders. If we are not about to abandon our people here and there, this does not mean that we are about to intervene directly in the affairs of the homelands in which they live; they know their situation better. We said from the first day of the movement: it is necessary to deal with matters and issues with awareness and wisdom, and we affirmed with the Eminences in the lofty Mountain the legitimacy of popular demands and the necessity of respecting the dignity of the Mountain, as it is the Mountain of Arabism and the revolution against colonialism, and the title of Syria's unity. On the other hand, we warned of the importance of the movement not departing from its peaceful national character, and that there should be no room for offensive language and hateful attacks against any of the spiritual or political authorities in the community. This is a rejected matter if it happens; freedom controlled by awareness allows for expressing the realistic and legitimate demands that the state has long neglected or failed to achieve, but it does not permit attacking or disparaging via social media and other means, which is something we do not recognize in our conservative Ma'ruf society. This society has confirmed, beyond any doubt, that the refined popular protest movement had as its title from the beginning the unity of the people and the unity of the country. This is what we sensed and what we confirmed with the spiritual leadership of the Mountain, regarding the necessity of emphasizing the unity of the people of As-Suwayda to be a path to national unity, far from any foreign separatist slogans that were never the demand of our community in any place or time. The Druze Unitarian Muslims are neither traitors nor conspirators, and they will never be, and even if they are reached by some accusations from some hired pens, these have no value, truth, or weight in front of the facts of history.”

He concluded: “Esteemed brothers, these are some of the headlines and ideas that I place in your hands, and I am full of hope that we are able to answer and respond, as long as we are blessed with a wise, courageous, and open leadership, with distinct individual and social capabilities, and with a solid will that has proven its strength in tribulations and its ability to face challenges. Let the far and near know that the Druze Unitarians 'do not humble themselves to gain spoils and do not submit to an oppressive tyrant.' With wise leadership, clear national positions, preserved internal unity, social cohesion, adherence to faith and values, and the prayers of our pure sheikhs and our pure sisters, we will be, with the help of God, one heart in facing challenges. May God grant success to those who call, those who strive, and those who care, 'He is our Master, and in God let the believers put their trust.'”

A discussion then took place on a number of internal and national issues raised.

After the meeting, Mr. Walid Jumblatt said: “We met in this noble house and consulted on various internal matters related to the Druze Unitarian community and those related to the country. It was a useful session for consultation, and these sessions must be repeated.”
He added: “We touched upon the situation in the Mountain of the Arabs, and personally, as well as the Sheikh, we confirm the same direction in supporting this peaceful movement in the Mountain of the Arabs and avoiding entering into any internal or non-internal conflicts. This is all that happened today, thank you and peace be upon you.”