Al-Rahi: 1701 compels Israel, Hezbollah to instantly halt all attacks
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Monday said he strongly condemns “this genocidal, destructive and displacement war against the Palestinian people.”
“We express solidarity with them, defend their cause, support the two-state solution and call on the international community to work on stopping this war,” the patriarch added.
He also called on Lebanese state officials to work on protecting Lebanon from “the tragedies of this destructive war,” noting that it would be more beneficial for Lebanon to “perform its political and diplomatic role in support of the Palestinian cause.”
Accordingly, he called on officials to “cling to the implementation of (U.N.) Security Council 1701, which compels Israel and Hezbollah to instantly halt all attacks and military operations from the two sides.”
Moreover, al-Rahi condemned the Israeli strike that killed a woman and her three grandchildren on Sunday near the southern town of Ainata. “We strongly condemn the ugly massacre that targeted innocent children who were students at our catholic schools,” the patriarch added.
Turning to the issue of the looming expiry of the army chief’s term, al-Rahi said that “the army must be immunized and supported and its commander must not be changed until the election of a president, for the sake of stability in the country.”
“The military institution is today before a fateful juncture that is threatening the country’s security and it is not in the interest of the state to carry out any changes in the army’s leadership,” the patriarch added.
“It is direly needed to elect a president and subsequently secure the soundness of all institutions,” al-Rahi went on to say.
Source: Naharnet
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