Al-Rahi Discusses Presidency, Army Support with Obama

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Thursday said he discussed with U.S. President Barack Obama the issues of the presidency and supporting the Lebanese army, as the American leader stressed the importance of deterring the terrorist threat against Lebanon.

In remarks to LBCI television after he met Obama along with the patriarchs of the Orient, al-Rahi said the U.S. president promised him to “protect Lebanon from the repercussions of everything that is happening in the region,” revealing that talks tackled the stalled presidential vote and military support for the Lebanese army.

The patriarch said he sensed that Obama has Lebanon among his concerns and that he realizes how much the ruthless Islamic State group is a threat to the region.

Meanwhile, Lebanon's National News Agency said the meeting with Obama lasted 35 minutes.

It said the American leader underlined to the delegation the importance of supporting the army so that it can “rein in terrorism and prevent it from infiltrating Lebanon.”

Obama also called on the Lebanese to reach an agreement over a new president, according to NNA.

Earlier on Thursday, the patriarchs of the Orient discussed with U.S. congressmen the condition of Middle East Christians and their displacement at the hands of terrorist organizations.

“The persecution of Christians is a reality,” al-Rahi said during the meeting.

He pointed out that “the painful situation is mired by the silence of the world.”

Al-Rahi, who is currently in the U.S. capital Washington to attend a three-day conference organized by the In Defense of Christians organization, called on the international community to facilitate the return of those who were displaced to their hometowns.

The Patriarch stressed the importance of taking swift measures to end the threats imposed by terrorist groups.

On Wednesday, al-Rahi called on the U.S. to take a more prominent stance and further steps to safeguard Christians, who are being assaulted and displaced by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other terrorist organizations.

Al-Rahi stressed that the “orient is the land of Christians, who are being threatened with extinction.”

“No one has the right to leave humans suffer as if we're back to the stone age,” the Patriarch said.

“Can no one stop this crawling monster that is intimidating people?” al-Rahi wondered.

He pointed out that the “Arab and Muslim communities and the international community should understand that Christians are not minorities.”

“The world is responsible for preventing terrorist organizations and returning those who were displaced to their regions and protecting them,” al-Rahi said.

The conference aims at discussing the situation in the Middle East and the conditions of Christians. It gathered Orthodox Christians, evangelicals, Roman Catholics and others.

The Middle East is home for about 12 million Christians, which constitute around 5 percent of the region's population.

Andrew Doran, executive director of In Defense of Christians, said: “If Christian voices are able to ring out as one from Egypt to Syria to Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, then we really do believe it will be possible for Middle Eastern Christians to survive.”

Photo: http://www.aina.org/

H.K./Y.R.

G.K.