Metropolitan Beirut and its dependencies for the Greek Orthodox, Bishop Elias Audi, and Deputy Speaker of the House Elias Boussaab addressed three topics today, Friday. Boussaab noted that "the first is the presidential election and the necessity to work effectively starting January to reach an agreement for electing a President of the Republic. The ideas were similar that the parliamentary council which was able to meet and agree—call it consultation or agreement or whatever—managed to hold a meeting and extended the terms of the army commander and the director general of internal security forces regardless of each MP's stance, especially my position which everyone knows I was not in favor of the extension. However, the parliamentary council was able to meet, hold a session, and approve the extension. We wonder how this council cannot meet in the same manner and consult to be able to elect a President of the Republic. I had heard from the Speaker of the House that discussions would begin in this direction starting January; all parties involved in public affairs, politics, and the parliamentary council must pour all efforts into electing a President."
He continued, "The second point is educational issues. As everyone knows, a meeting was held in this archdiocese specifically, with private schools and their representatives, especially Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical schools, where we gathered and laid out a roadmap on how a solution can be reached. This was followed by a meeting that took place in Bkerki and later at the Ministry of Education, and I believe the direction is to see schools backtrack on the strike that was previously announced. They can backtrack on this strike if the roadmap we set during our meeting here at the Beirut Archdiocese, which requires legislation in the parliamentary council, can be followed up with them after the New Year because the three points we discussed are applicable in the parliamentary council, which gives assurance to the schools and allows teachers to receive their rights while also protecting the rights of cooperating parents, ensuring the continuity of private schools that educate 75 percent of Lebanon's students, and we have a duty to preserve them. We have addressed this issue seriously with His Eminence Bishop Audi, and I confirm that starting next week, all our efforts will be to secure the necessary legislative preparations or amendments needed for laws other than the one that was issued, because we are not talking about the law that was issued as it gives rights to teachers, but there are other laws we can work on to give schools what they need and the assurance they require to continue."
He added: "The third topic is the daily Israeli assaults taking place in the south, resulting in civilian casualties among victims and martyrs who fall in Lebanon. We affirm that Lebanon is rich enough to avoid war; no one wants war, and no one wishes for it. Any statements that need to be made starting next week, whether at the regional level or regarding Resolution 1701 or greater stability on the borders, means that the decision must come from Israel first before we discuss how Lebanon should implement it."
