Lebanon's former culture minister and current Druze MP Ghazi Aridi slammed the comments made by Saudi tycoon Prince al-Walid bin Talal against the opposition led by Druze overlord and chief of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblat. According to An Nahar Monday, although Aridi did not mention Prince Walid by name, he charged that al-Walid's aim was "to harm the political and media atmosphere in Lebanon".

Speaking during the highschool graduation ceremony for students from the town of Chouf, a Druze stronghold, Aridi said, "There has been talk about what happened in Lebanon in the past few days with regards to the (presidential) extension, and the stance of the head of the PSP (Jumblat) has been criticized. Very simply, we respond that those who think they can set up political and media "Rotanas" in the country only aim to harm the political and media atmosphere in the country." Rotana is an Arabic music channel owned and chaired by al-Walid. Aridi charged that Jumblat, who is leading the battle for democracy and freedom in the country, "is capable of defeating all the kings, kingdoms and employees of this Rotana or that and this prince or that".

Last week, Prince Al-Walid slammed the opposition led by Jumblat against President Emil Lahoud's mandate, which was extended for three years by Parliament in September. He called on the opposition "to recover its sense and accept the fait accompli in order to diffuse political tensions". Prince Al-Walid is the grandson of the first post-independence Prime Minister Riad al-Solh and holds the Lebanese nationality in addition to the Saudi one. Al-Walid is believed to have political aspirations in the country and is involved in many tourist, economic, media and charity projects in the country.