Al-Rahi International Community Also Obligated to Tackle Hizbullah’s Arms
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated on Wednesday that an agreement must be reached over Hizbullah’s possession of arms, reiterating past statements that it is not normal for one Lebanese political group to possess weapons and be part of cabinet and parliament.
He said: “Some sides interpreted these remarks as a sign that I support the party’s positions, but all I wanted to say is that the international community is also responsible for this issue as Hizbullah’s arms are not only a Lebanese matter, but an international one.”
He explained that seeing as this issue is connected to international ones, it cannot be resolved strictly through Lebanese methods.
“They don’t accept these statements and interpret them as being a justification of the party’s arms possession,” the patriarch said.
“Hizbullah claims that it will maintain its arms until Israel withdraws from all Lebanese land, so why isn’t the Jewish state pressured to implement international resolutions?” he asked.
“The arms are a problem and I was criticized in the past for saying that I fear this weapons’ possession,” al-Rahi stated.
“How do we solve this problem?” he asked.
“The West did not accept my statements over Hizbullah’s arms, so why don’t they pressure Israel to implement resolutions?” he wondered.
“Why don’t they arm and strengthen the Lebanese army?” continued al-Rahi.
On the Lady of the Mountain Gathering, the patriarch said: “I don’t anything about this meeting, but I don’t believe it to be a good thing.”
“After the defamation campaigns that I was subject to after my trip to France, I decided not to read any newspaper,” he added.
“I have taken the decision to prevent my relationship with people from being affected by what is said about me,” he noted.
It was rumored that the Lady of the Mountain Gathering was expected to issue a critical stand of al-Rahi’s recent controversial positions from France during which he said that Syrian President Bashar Assad should be given more time to implement reform and Hizbullah’s excuses for maintaining its possession of arms should be eliminated.
The venue of the gathering was changed from a monastery to a hotel in Adma after it was reported that the nuns refused to harbor a meeting that may have been critical of the patriarch.
Addressing his statements from France, al-Rahi said: “We don’t support or oppose any regime … as a church, we are concerned with any political reform that can benefit the public through guaranteeing the safety and dignity of the citizens.”
“We support constitutional reform in Syria and any other country,” he stressed.
He also voiced fear of the eruption of civil war in Syria, where its Sunnis would be pitted against the Alawites.
Al-Rahi warned that such a conflict would have “strong and direct repercussions on Lebanon, which enjoys a Sunni and Alawite population.”
He also reiterated his fear that a dictatorial regime may assume power in Syria
“If no one liked our positions, then they are free to have their own opinion,” he remarked.
“Some people don’t want us to tell them the truth and I have the right to speak it as long as I live,” al-Rahi stressed.
“I don’t oppose any country or people, but I don’t want us to be slaughtered on a daily basis for international interests and policies,” he stressed.
Addressing a new parliamentary electoral law, the patriarch said: “I have no political choices, as this is a matter for politicians.”
“I don’t support proportional representation or non-proportional representation,” he added.
“I support what the MPs agree upon, which should serve Muslims and Christians in Lebanon,” he stated.
“I will avoid talking about politics from now one,” he concluded.
12 October 2011, 12:48
61
the filthy zionist information war department must be crazy now...and our patriarch is even more glorious than i was thinking before.
12 October 2011, 12:55
17
what are you so excited about Jabal Retard...
The patriarch is still not in favour of Hezbollah's arms.. He is just presenting different ways to disarm them...
In the end, its the same goal..DISARMAMENT and 10452km2
12 October 2011, 13:26
12
Al Rai finally realized that what he says is not really what he means and he means is not necessarily what he says.
Gratefully he is taking our advise " I will avoid talking about politics from now on" .
12 October 2011, 13:32
71
the filthy zionist information war department is trying to recover from "the patriarch shock" by pretending that they are in line with new patriarch.
fool somebody else.
12 October 2011, 14:09
13
that was a good statement from monseigneur batrak rahi,he is obeying fakhamto and his cardinal,
dont read newspapers anymore
dont talk politics anymore
bashar and his wargames are not ur business anymore
12 October 2011, 14:51
03
Not a bad correction from the previous statement in Paris. I would like to remind Al Rahi that the UN Security Council Resolution 1559 calls for the following: "The disarming of all militias, particularly Hezbollah and the Palestinians."
When calling for the Interantional community to force Israel to implement the UN resioltion (good thing), AL Rahi should also call for implementing the 1559.
12 October 2011, 15:02
15
jaba the hut camel please pay for your electricity you syrian bootlicker
12 October 2011, 16:10
30
i wander how can someone be against our glorious resistance and have nickname from the glorious date when our glorious resistance cleaned some filthy domestic traitors and foreign mercenaries in a glorious operation.
looks like may is divided personality.
12 October 2011, 16:32
01
The problem is that even if Israel withdraws from Chebaa, the resistance militia will keep its weapons.
They are needed to liberate the Golan, to retreive Jerusalem, to help the Palestinian people, to erase Israel and to re-conquier the Andalos maybe...
Any motive can be invented since the most important is to keep this country a prey to the Israeli wolf. Hence we will be continuously exposed to destruction while firing our rockets...:)
How poor we are.
12 October 2011, 16:56
02
The sad part is our patriarch lost his credibility in the world while holding the single most important post in Lebanon. You could talk all you want about foreign powers in Lebanon, they are the fact of life during this current political life. There was a huge expectations for Rahi when he was elected to become the Patriarch, so far, it is looking that he doesn't have the wisdom to act correctly. In a Middle East pinned currently between a Sunni and Shia struggle, it is unwise to take sides when you are a minority, the consequences could be large.
12 October 2011, 17:05
21
i see that i have become no1 zionist information war department enemy.
they are still unable to spell my name, but it's understandable, it all sounds different in hebrew.
it is a great honor. thank you.
12 October 2011, 17:13
03
hahahaha i love this guy jabal 3amel... he makes it soo easy to mock him he keeps on talking about the 14 march saying "iran iran iran iran iran iran iran iran iran" while he can't help himself from saying "zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist " he is such a hypocrite
12 October 2011, 17:20
41
by the way, if some of you are not from zionist information war department (and some of you are, there's no doubt), than you are still much more connected with zionists and usa than my tribe in the south is connected with iran.
therefore when i say "zionist" i have much more foundations for that comparing when you say "iran".
12 October 2011, 17:24
20
the difference between me and you and your alike is that i came and saw "iran iran iran iran iran iran". so that propaganda was here before i came.
so i decided to counter that with "zionist zionist zionist zionist".
than i saw that some of you are trying to talk to me. i tried to establish some normal conversation here. I assumed that some of you are not zionists but lebanese.
and all i got back is "iran iran iran iran iran"
there's no way to establish normal conversation with you and yours alike.
so it's gonna be "zionist zionist zionist zionist zionist" all the way until you and yours alike continue with "iran iran iran iran iran iran".
12 October 2011, 17:24
04
ya to2bornee ma ahdamak...
I am new here so don't say that I say "Iran Iran Iran" I never did plus don't say that I a a 14 march bastard because i am not and i am surely not an 8 march son of a bitch i am lebanese and i listen to the voice of reason and try as hard as i can to get my facts strait i know that everyone has messed with lebanon n some way or the other... during the civil war the ksa libya iran syria and iraq funded both sides the US shelled my village with 406 mm guns the zionist pigs harassed my family during the occupation and we got beat and harassed on every syrian roadblock I am Lebanese I am not 14 nor 8 because both sides are fighting each other for the wrong reasons
12 October 2011, 19:34
03
being disturbed by the speech of the mufti hassoun ,sunni mufti of the syrian regime,he wanted to activate suicide bombers in europe and america......this regime that monseigneur rahi believe will protect the minorities? in the case of rahi : the christians?
poor hakim, he has a lot of lessons to give to....poor christians.. good that they have at least the cardinal.
12 October 2011, 19:46
10
"Zionophobia"
Zionism is racism. If you are not afraid of racism, you are not a democrat. If you would rather shoot somebody than work with her because she is in a different tribe, you want to be weak and you will be weak.
12 October 2011, 20:18
01
jabalkamal do not write Lebanese to Jallab Habal, he can't google the Lebanese dialect.
12 October 2011, 21:57
02
"i will not talk politics from now on" is the best thing you said, stay in religion.
12 October 2011, 22:01
03
Lebanon is heading slowly towards another civil war. Regime change in Syria will lead to arms flow to other lebanese and the monopoly of weapons will end. Hizbustan is living in a fantasy world and committing the same grave mistakes of israel: you can't keep the status quo forever, things are changing. Hizbustan, sadly, owns the key to the next civil war and i doubt they will give up their arms to the state and therefore more mini-states are doomed to arise in this small "lebanon"
13 October 2011, 08:17
00
I see Jabal Amel is becoming a phenomenon, he is now having followers who even imitate his name... KEWLLLL!!
On another note, it is funny how one of the commentors wrote that Sheikh Qabbani is a traitor or something of that sort, Qabbani was being hailed by 14-March muslims until just recently & he was considered a supreme figure who has to be respected & all, its funny how things change, really! I wonder if Tayyar Al Mustaqbal would've remained silent about this humiliation for Sunni's higest figure in lebanon, had Qabbani remained to their side! I also still remeber March-14 reactions to the statements of Franjieh when he spoke improperly of Sfeir, now things have flipped the other way round!
13 October 2011, 08:34
10
Do u guys think of why Qabbani & Rahi have moved to the other bank of the river? dont u think there's something really big being cooked in the ovens of CIA & Mossad? Conspiracy conspiracy blablabla.. I know we are sick of this allegations, but why dont u even give it a 1% probability, did USA protect the civilian christians when they attacked Iraq? are they now protecting christians in Egypt? cant u tell that they only care for what gives them more money & fuel?
Iran & KSA... another dilemma, these are the 2 extremist muslim countries, sunni & shiite, look up in the internet the freedom of worship in Iran & look up the same in KSA. Im not trying to convince anyone here, & im not bringing false sources, go to wikipedia & read. Im not defending Iran over KSA, but if I have to chose between the influence of one of them (& God forbids, 1,000,000 times) I wouldnt want to be in a place where women have a different timing to go to the mall than men, where i cant meet my GF in public...
13 October 2011, 09:14
11
@nocommonsense
search for hassassin in wikipedia, and you might realize the chiites have long time ago decided to create this secte just for assassinations.
it is in the interest of hizbushaitan to drive the country down economically as they are doing, drive all major strong people economically out of Lebanon, so they can buy maximum land (the same way israelis do) so once they will declare their ghetto, they would be controlling a large chunk of the country at least.
does it ring any bells in your head the syrian regime is the real one behind the salafis? does it ring a bell who opposed nahe el bared?
did you think about that?
please stop the stupid scare tactics.....
13 October 2011, 10:35
21
commonsense:
you need to learn that there is no communication with these people.
all they do is hate speach, lies, more lies and than even more lies to the point it becomes absurd.
just label them for what they are and move on
13 October 2011, 10:55
00
@habal kamel :)
as usual when confronted with real facts, you go to personal bad language :) this is usually the way stuid people react :)
anyway go and check about hassasin in wikipedia, as maybe you might learn something about your history.:)
13 October 2011, 16:15
11
i didn't see any fact from zionist information war department since i came here...just lies lies and more lies...
you guys are greatest followers of goebels
hitler would be proud of you....
13 October 2011, 16:34
11
Nahr al bared & syria? wow, that's a first!! Just fyi, i don't give a crap about syria , but it's been proven who was behind the Nahr el Bared events!
Geha, ur talking nonsense, where do u get ur info from? the only killing that hizbullah did was to the israeli soldiers & their agents in south of lebanon, who, funny enough, had lots of shiites among them. The killing is not part of our cultures, but had u lived in the south during ur childhood & got ur one of ur family members murdered by the israelis, or seen ur childhood friend shredded into pieces on tv, (I did), or spent 50% of ur childhood days hiding in the shelters, you would've understood why we think these weapons protect us!
& for all of u commenting, please comment like grown ups & stop using whatever low language ur using! stick to facts & decent debates, who knows, maybe u could convince others of ur point!
14 October 2011, 06:25
10
facts:
syria was against nahr el bared, then yes they accepted to send ammunitions
to the army. however, most of these guys went back to syria if you recall
you seem to forget that hizbushaitan declared nahr el bared as a red line, and was against the action taken by the army, while M14 was for it. :)
14 October 2011, 06:26
00
as afar as the humanity of your hizbushaitan, just remember what happened in Beirut. I do not think there is a need to recount all the inhumane actions that occured. :)
14 October 2011, 09:16
01
ya Geha, i think we both have the same problem, we only see others' defects & fail to see our own. Hizbullah was against bombing the camp because of the innocent palastenian civilians there, their culture is based on the palestinian cause (which i dont agree with btw), but they had to object the military resolution although deep down they must've supported it, otherwise it wouldn't have happened!
I was also against May 7 attacks & still to this date, but something was happening at that time & action was needed, again, I am against it, but the government at that time didn't take into consideration the sensitivity of the issue!
May 7 wasn't one sided, I still remember very well the killing that happened in the north & what Tayyar Al Mustaqbal followers did to the Syrian Social Nationalist Party's followers in tripoli.. I still remember the videos & if you havent seen them you can still google & tell me afterwards what u think of them!
14 October 2011, 09:24
10
killing is bad wherever it is coming from.
that said, it does not justify killing unarmed people at a funeral in beirut for whatever circumstances.
regarding the events you are talking about in the north, please remember that these guys installed a check point and they were aggressing people there.. the reaction was against armed militia men after what they did.
so please let us not compare.
now regarding the nahr el bared, I can only comment on what was said and not hidden intentions! furthermore, M14 and all the people in the north specifically were for the army's intervention, thus all comments in this respect are misplaced in my view accusing al mustakbal or whoever of financing these people.
my comment is in reply to previous comments.....
14 October 2011, 10:16
00
I dont kno if u have read what was leaked about Elias Al Murr claims in wikileaks cables about who has financed Fath el Islam in nahr el bared, he, Elias Murr, the then Minister of Defense said it was Hariri.
anyway, again, in reply to what u said about the SSNP members who were murdered, whether they held a check point or not, does that justify the Mutilation & Maiming? The images i saw there were outrageous!
listen brother, this small country belongs to us all, neither Hizbullah & M8 can rule it the way they want, nor M14 can do, & the moment our leaders stop competing & understand this fact is the moment Lebanon will rest. I am not blaming it at M14, I am blaming both. How can u convince me that USA & NATO & etc will protect me against Israeli missiles? protect the borders, the fuel, the water, etc... It is the same fact that also makes me reject being a follower of syria or iran or turkey or KSA or whatever.. fi shi esmo masale7 & when they seize to exist, we will be forsaken!
14 October 2011, 12:09
00
@commonsense
although I agree with the second last part of your comments regarding not to believe or follow any external country, wether that be iran,syria,KSA,USA, or whatever.
however regarding ssnp members, please note they are responsible for many assassinations alongside hizbullah for one part, and the truth about this will be coming up soon.
on the other part, although I do not agree to what happened in atrocities in the north, please do not forget the atrocities committed previously bythose same men (ssnp) whether in the north or in beirut.
the current problem is that Lebanon cannot be governed by one side only, and currently that side (hizbullah) has to lay down their weapons, so that all are on the same level.
furthermore, nobody has the right to impoverish a country to buy them out.
i do hope you accept this opinion :)
14 October 2011, 12:19
00
@commensense
see how some stupid people reply? people like mowaten are beyond repair, and their blindeness is total with no redemption.
facts are facts, wether we like them or not.
guys it would be nice to have a decent discussion without bad language for a change.
