Al-Rahi 'Won't Give Consent' to Cabinet that Excludes FPM, LF
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi will not accept the formation of a government from which the two major Christian parties are missing, officials in Bkirki said.
The officials, who were not identified, told al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Monday, that “no one should ever think that the Maronite patriarch would give his consent to a cabinet from which the biggest Christian parties are missing.”
Such a government, they said, “is unconstitutional similar to a fait accompli cabinet.”
Bkirki will on Wednesday announce its rejection to all kinds of marginalization against Christians and any other faction in the country, the officials told the daily.
They were referring to a national charter that the council of Maronite bishops is expected to announce following its monthly meeting.
Al-Rahi said Sunday that the document holds onto the national principles and sets the priorities for a better future.
The charter is based on three factors - national principles, concerns and priorities – he said.
The warning of the Bkirki officials came amid a deadlock in the cabinet formation process.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has rejected to participate in a government in which Hizbullah is represented despite the approval of his ally al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hairri to share power with the Shiite party.
As for Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, he is sticking to his rejection of the concept of rotation of portfolios in the 24-cabinet.
An Nahar quoted an informed source as saying on Monday that Premier-designate Tammam Salam proposed on Sunday the foreign affairs and education portfolios to FPM official caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil.
Bassil promised to provide a response within 24 hours, the source said.
If the movement rejects such a proposal, then Salam could announce the line-up with “whoever wants to attend,” the source added.
03 February 2014, 07:51
67
la2 ba3ed na2ess enno Al Rahi to give consent or not ! what is this country where religious symbols become decision makers in politics ! l3ama be 3younak 3ame!
03 February 2014, 10:13
99
Stick to praying Your Eminence, the country needs lots of it.
03 February 2014, 10:51
108
nothing al rahi says will change the fact that the real key to the formation of this cabinet is with hizbushaitan.
and hizbushaitan has received their orders: the cabinet will be formed soon with or without aoun.
03 February 2014, 17:09
62
FT,didn't your parents teach you to address someone only when you're asked to. Politics in this country are "same shit, different day".Lebanon will remain centuries away from the world unless everyone starts minding their own business. This is very sad, and as usual, your posts are getting better everyday.
03 February 2014, 17:52
53
Thought you were smarter than this FT, you are the one who directed your stupid comment to me, when no one did ask for your opinion, so i guess you should be the one keeping quiet. Next time, please express yourself in simple English, "frontal lobotomy", where the hell did you get this one from?
03 February 2014, 12:34
42
Smallah. And you were raining praise on sfeir. How many times was he shot down for protecting his flock by m8 patrons? Tofu 3aleykon kamen for the same reasons.
03 February 2014, 08:00
102
News like this from Al-Ra3i makes one really, really miss and long for the patriotic and way smarter, his eminence Patriarch Nasrallah Boutrous Sfeir. Now there was a church leader worth his weight in gold and then some. Would that Al-Ra3i is able to emulate a fraction of Patriarch Sfeir's intelligence, patriotism and intelligence. Alas, and a shame that we Christians need to settle for such a mediocre man as leader of our church.
03 February 2014, 08:19
83
@--karim_m1---
Normally, a comment like yours does not deserve acknowledgement nor am I acknowledging it as it is full of hatred and pure crap.
In the interest of setting the record straight, it was Patriarch Sfeir who led the Quornet Shahwan Christian gathering that opposed Syrian hegemony over Lebanon.
It was Patriarch Sfeir's courage that produced the historic September call by the church against the Syrian occupation of our country.
If that is viewed by the likes of you as senile behavior, may God help us all from the likes of you who harbor and feed on hatred towards their Lebanese brothers of a certain sect.
03 February 2014, 12:51
96
because
- you believe in divine victories
- your master is a turbaned man of god
03 February 2014, 15:54
73
man oh man. You keep on hallucinating about israelis. Did you have a bad experience with them, or you are deeply in love with them.
I know you owe them, cause they are the reason for your existance
03 February 2014, 08:07
107
Al Rahi and Qabbani with all due respect to their religious titles should stick to what they re supposed to know best, keeping the faithful faithful. Stop meddling in politics.
03 February 2014, 08:31
93
Religious men should stick to what they know and thats religion and stay away from polictics. We are after all in in the 21 st century. As Lebanese who are considered "intelligent" why do we need some bearded mullah or gold donning priest to tell us what to do? I believe christ was a simple man with simple needs. What does all the motorcades, mansions, gold, huge bank accounts and plain BS have to do with religion? They have something special that we dont? Whats that? A hotline to God? If these Mullahs and Priests were in hollywood they would win oscars for outstanding performances. Brainwashing is all they are good at.
03 February 2014, 09:43
45
I agree with most of what you said cedars2.
But a Christian should also be someone who can model Christ in his own context. Jesus was also very political. His birth threatened King Herod. The legal reason for his crucifixion is "declared himself to be king", which was a political crime.
We should be like him. Challenge evil and side with what is good. He said about a Roman Centurion "not in all of Israel have I seen such faith!". He also challenged the Pharisees for the way they oppressed people with their heavy religious laws and for their hypocrisy. We should be like that. If we see our own camp do something wrong, we should challenge it and speak against it. And if we see our political opponents do something good, we should encourage it and praise it. But most importantly, we should always love our neighbors. This includes our enemies.
03 February 2014, 12:13
105
20 minutes ago MTV: A man died after he slipped on ice in the Cedars.
03 February 2014, 08:26
56
It is not about Rahi's consent, he is stating the obvious. A cabinet without Christian representation is simply unconstitutional in our current system. Future and Hizb spend months and months arguing like children because it is their foreign masters' wish and then they magically agree and the Christians are supposed to just follow and "sacrifice" for the greater good. I'm sorry but it is just not going to happen. It might take another 6 months to get a government but everyone needs to learn how to share their toys.
03 February 2014, 09:00
98
Geagea has voluntarily excluded the LF from any cabinet positions by boycotting HA presence in the cabinet.
Al Rahi is making a fool of himself with his impossible demands. He will be isolated and his power will fade for his unwise proclamations.
03 February 2014, 09:43
108
Perhaps Al Rahi should explain to Geagea that there is no such position as "Emperor of Lebanon" and to adjust his demands accordingly.
In the meantime Al Rahi has put himself in the position of demanding a situation that Geagea will clearly not allow to happen.
03 February 2014, 18:19
25
Who cares about the Saudi Arabia Forces? They represent nothing more than their terrorist employers in Riyadh and have the bloodstains of thousands of Lebanese civilians on their hands.
