Jumblatt: Le Pen insults Lebanese and Syrians

Leader of Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Walid Jumblatt considered remarks made by French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen during her recent visit to Lebanon an “insult” to Lebanese people and Syrians, the Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

After a meeting with the French President Francios Hollande, Jumblatt told the press: “Marine Le Pen’s statements in Lebanon are inappropriate and are considered an insult to both the Syrian and Lebanese people because it is not possible that the Lebanese forget the crimes of the Syrian regime.”

“You cannot suggest returning the Syrian refugees to Syria in groups. I do not know how Le Pen would concede these remarks, but I hope that France has a better choice for presidency than the fascist right,” referring to Le Pen.

Read: France’s Le Pen cancels meeting with Lebanon’s Grand Mufti

Jumblatt added: “Hollande is a European leader and may be an international leader who stands beside the Syrian people and stands in solidarity with them until the last minute.”

Le Pen started a two-day tour to Lebanon on Sunday and met President Michael Own and Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri who stressed that “mixing Islam with terrorism is a thoughtless mistake”.

While in Beirut, Le Pen called for fighting “Islamic terrorism” and renewed her support for the Syrian regime despite the revolution which started in 2011 seeking its removal.