The newspaper "The Call of the Nation" writes: It is certain that President Michel Aoun will not candidly tell Pope Francis today the bitter truth and its "hellish" manifestations on the Lebanese people in general and Christians in particular. He will not, for instance, mention that his tenure has recorded a "tsunami" of Christian emigration from Lebanon, or that the only capital in the East led by a Christian has turned during his time into one of the capitals of the "Revolutionary Guard." He will not admit that his party, which built its glory on slogans to strengthen the state and protect Christians, has ultimately reinforced the authority of the statelet over the state, threatening the entity with dissolution, placing Christians under the protection of the resistance axis, and involving them in a coalition that opposes both Arabs and the West, starting with "Hezbollah" in Lebanon and ending with the Houthis in Yemen... Rather, the opposite; President Aoun is determined to reassure the pope that "Christianity in Lebanon is not in danger and Lebanon is not disappearing," as he stated upon his arrival in Rome yesterday.
The realistic picture of Lebanon was expressed yesterday by Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi from Egypt, where he informed President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the true internal situation, asserting that "Lebanon is sick and we need to treat its illness." He discussed with him the problems facing Lebanon, including the failure to implement the Taif Agreement, lack of neutrality, and absence of a defensive strategy to resolve the issue of "Hezbollah's" weaponry, expressing regret that "Lebanon has become isolated from the world, and solutions are not solely in the hands of the Lebanese, but there is a role for Arabs and the international community." Today, al-Rahi will make the first visit by a Maronite Patriarch to the Arab League, urging Arab countries to support Lebanon, carrying in this sense a pastoral national message on behalf of the Lebanese to the Arabs: "Lebanon is a founding member of the Arab League, so do not abandon it or cease to assist it in its crisis."
In parallel, al-Rahi sent a message to the Lebanese themselves urging them to "participate en masse in the upcoming parliamentary elections for those who fulfill their aspirations," as he stressed in a statement to "MTV." He added, emphasizing the necessity of holding the elections on the scheduled date of May 15: "This matters to us to maintain constitutional entitlements, and voters must participate massively and make wise choices to restore trust."
Concurrently, the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, emphasized that "the 2022 elections are not just ordinary elections but are a pivotal confrontation." He warned voters against the consequences of voting for the "ruling gang" and consequently remaining "in hell beneath the seventh earth." During a gathering in Maarab, he stated: "These people have interests, concerns, and issues unrelated to what is happening today; they only focus on their game, which is currently preparing for Gebran Bassil to assume the presidency. All their steps are aimed at this goal, regardless of the implications for the people." He added: "Staying in hell comes from voting again for this gang, primarily Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement, and anyone related to them. If they are re-elected in any form, it spells disaster for you, as it means signing your own death warrant and the assassination of your country for all eternity."
In another connected development regarding the banks' issues, informed sources confirmed that "the urgent judicial authority will take charge of this issue and make appropriate decisions regarding it in the coming days." They pointed out that, in relation to the legal pursuit of Banque du Liban Governor Riad Salameh, the relevant Lebanese authorities received a judicial mandate from the Principality of Monaco last Thursday regarding investigations being conducted there concerning financial transfers linked to Salameh. Notably, Salameh is scheduled for another interrogation session summoned by the public prosecutor, Judge Ghada Aoun, following the recent arrest of his brother Raja on charges of "money laundering," based on a complaint filed by the legal circle of the "Pioneers of Justice" group concerning investigative claims that accused him of engaging in brokerage contracts and commissions and purchasing properties in Paris through a company he owns and manages on behalf of the central bank governor.
However, legal sources expected that the fate of Salameh's interrogation session today would be similar to previous ones, with his absence from appearing before Aoun, especially since he views her as "a non-neutral opponent acting according to a vengeful political agenda." He had previously filed a motion to recuse her and remove her from the case before the appeals court, considering that she harbors a "previous animosity" against him, citing her issuing "Twitter statements" against him prior to judicial rulings.
