There are reports (and TV footage) of thousands of Druze demonstrating today against Hezbollah’s weapons next to March 14. What’s interesting is that they’re carrying PSP flags and Jumblat photos and slogans, despite the fact that Jumblat himself disowned the demonstration and criticized it.
There are two ways to explain this: 1) Mr. Jumblat has lost control of his crowds and failed to convince them of his new stances or 2) which is more likely: This is yet another political masterstroke by the Druze leader to get things both ways and keep all his options open, just in case the wind blows back in March 14‘s direction again..
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Seems that the crowd is big, even in Al Jadeed’s screens. As for al Jazeera, I’m starting to think that their crew got ambushed some where -hope not in Libya-.
passingby, i doubt today’s demos will even be the third story on any international media outlet…..Japan, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain…come first
Japan indeed came first today, and will come tomorrow unfortunately, but I don’t think anything big happened from yesterday night in the other arab countries you mentioned that would justify to put Lebanon “aside” in today’s news. Whatever the political significance of today’s demonstration, the particular taste of Al Jazeera’s editorial line is sometimes…particular.
IMO, when you cover demonstrations of hundreds, or few thousands, round the clock, you are honoring the organizers, more than the demonstrators. When you are ignoring gatherings in the hundreds of thousands, on top of ignoring the organizers (whom certainly no private tv channel has an obligation to honor), you are also insulting the demonstrators (whom on the other hand do deserve to be respected and accounted for).
Al Jazeera is not supposed to be “any international outlet”, it is supposed to be the international voice of a new arab world, and, as far as I now, Lebanon is part of it.
Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t Jumblat urge his people not to resist Hezbollah during the small civil war of May 2008 and then the Druze proceeded to hand Hezbollah their asses, and the Druze were called the Lebanese 300
Mustapha read Roula Mwaffa2′s article in that regards: http://www.nowlebanon.com/Arabic/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=249403
But I think these Druze March 14 supporters will elect Mr. Jumblat and his candidates in 2013 …