Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi called on Lebanese officials to work on "neutralizing Lebanon from the horrors of war, this devastating war, and to fulfill their political and diplomatic role in support of the Palestinian cause, which is more beneficial. This is in adherence to the implementation of UN Resolution 1701 that orders Israel and Hezbollah to immediately cease all attacks and military operations from both sides." Al-Rahi made these statements during the opening of the 56th ordinary session of the Council of Patriarchs and Catholic Bishops in Lebanon, in Faqra. He said: "We meet while Lebanon suffers from a severe political crisis that has deprived it of a president for a year, without any justification, but we know the reason, which is a deliberate violation of the constitution. Oh, how we wish we knew why? We do know one thing, which is that the country's connections are disintegrating, the financial, economic, and living crisis is escalating, our people are impoverished, our best living forces are migrating, and the number of Syrian refugees is increasing day by day with newcomers and those born here, reaching currently one and a half million, and the number continues to rise at the expense of the Lebanese people and their livelihoods, security, economy, and culture. In light of this heavy burden and danger, we call on the international community to assist them on Syrian territory, not in Lebanon, so they can restore their lives in their homeland. They should conserve their land and its resources and continue to write their history upon it."
Al-Rahi continued: "We gather with the shadow of the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinians looming on our southern borders. While we strongly condemn this genocidal, destructive, and displacement war against the Palestinian people, we express our solidarity with them, defend their cause, support the solution of establishing two states, and call on the international community to take action to stop this war and the killing, destruction, and displacement it entails, as well as the defilement of the land sanctified by Christ, washed with his blood on the cross. We urge Lebanese officials to work to neutralize Lebanon from the woes of this war, this destructive war, and to play their political and diplomatic role in supporting the Palestinian cause, which is more beneficial. This is in commitment to the implementation of UN Resolution 1701 that mandates Israel and Hezbollah to immediately cease all attacks and military operations from both sides."
He added: "We strongly condemn the horrific massacre that affected innocent children, students of our Catholic schools, at the School of the Sacred Hearts Sisters in Ain Ebel. We stand by the families of the victimized students and their schoolmates, and we support the school's administration and the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, calling on the church's followers in Lebanese churches and all institutions to hold a prayer vigil to end all manifestations of violence in all its forms, and that God grants the responsible ones the spirit of wisdom, so they may work for the good of every citizen, especially in the Holy Land. We express our deep sorrow for the family that fell completely yesterday in the south; we condole with them and pray for them."
Al-Rahi stated: "The hope remains in the Lebanese army, entrusted along with the international forces with security in the south, borders, and other Lebanese regions. For stability in the country, the army must be fortified, and we must stand by it and refrain from interfering with its leadership until a president is elected. Today, the military institution faces a fateful challenge that threatens the country's security. It is not in the state's interest to make any changes in the leadership today. What is urgently required is the election of a president of the republic so that all institutions may function."
He added: "How and by what right is the Parliament deliberately refraining from electing a president, while the presidential seat has been vacant for a year? It is known that in the absence of the head, the entire body is paralyzed. It is also known that the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister are three trustees of the legislative and executive power in a manner that gives the highest authority in the state its legitimacy. We ask: where is the legitimacy in exercising the Parliament's authority and the government's power when the highest authority is absent? Does that not contradict coexistence and the covenant, according to the wording of clause (i) of the preamble of the constitution? Therefore, we cannot accept the Parliament's reluctance to fulfill its basic national duty, which is to elect a president of the republic, who is above all considerations and persons. In light of the interest of the nation, land, people, and institutions, all interests and considerations evaporate, and anything else is a grave violation of the constitution."
