A Syrian report Saturday night said that Defense Minister Ehud Barak met recently in secret with Walid Jumblatt, head of the Lebanese Druze community. Jumblatt met Barak last week during the latter's visit to Washington, in a meeting brokered by Vice President Dick Cheney, the report said. According to the report, Jumblatt asked Barak to persuade the U.S. to work harder to get rid of Syrian President Basher Assad.
The idea for the meeting belonged to Walid Fares, a prominent Lebanese American businessman who is a Druse and who has good ties with AIPAC, the report said. Fares rented out an entire wing of the Washington hotel where Barak was staying in order to keep the meeting as secret as possible.
The idea for the meeting belonged to Walid Fares, a prominent Lebanese American businessman who is a Druse and who has good ties with AIPAC, the report said. Fares rented out an entire wing of the Washington hotel where Barak was staying in order to keep the meeting as secret as possible.