What Kind Of Mufti Is Jouzou?

The Mufti of Mount Lebanon is a foul-mouthed demagogue who needs to be demoted as soon as possible.

This must be one of the saddest, most irresponsible spectacles I’ve witnessed in Lebanese politics lately: The Mufti of Mount-Lebanon emerges from a meeting with the Sunni leader of the largest parliamentary block, to denounce “Shiaa intervention in Sunni neighborhoods” , threatening to respond “in kind” to their armed presence.

To a certain degree, I understand why someone like Mr. Hariri could use someone like Mr. Jouzou to do his dirty work for him and to make a point that Lebanese Sunnis are no pushovers. But… A Mufti?

The cheer crassness of Mr. Jouzou’s remarks and the fact that he calls a spade a spade (as opposed to Sayyed Nassrallah’s more subtle “Hezbollah’s people” in reference to Shiaas) can come back to haunt Mr. Hariri in the future. Mr. Jouzou’s words can set a precedent for even more trashy and irresponsible public discourse which will makes the Sunni-Shiaa divide a self-fulfilling drama and the rule of law a more elusive dream.

Moreover, Mr. Jouzou is causing a serious image problem for Lebanese Sunnis. He is a Mufti after all, someone who’s supposed to be have gravitas and respect among his followers. His hate-spewing and crudity are rolling back the advancements Hariri the father worked hard on to improve his community’s reputation.

What Mr. Hariri needs is a March 14 version of Wiam Wahhab, not a fire-breathing “Mufti.”