Maronite Bishops Urge Officials to Unify Ranks, Rebuild the State
The Council of Maronite Bishops on Wednesday expressed fear over divisions among Lebanese officials urging them to unify their ranks and rebuild the state on the foundations of equality and justice.
Following their weekly meeting under Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in his summer residence of Diman, the bishops lamented that divisions among politicians were paralyzing government work and preventing it from carrying out its duties towards the nation and citizens.
The bishops were referring to a dispute between cabinet ministers on an electricity draft law that calls for allocating $1.2 billion to Energy Minister Jebran Bassil.
The council urged the officials to put Lebanon’s interest before personal interests, “unify ranks and rhetoric and work together to rebuild this state on the foundations of love, equality and justice and based on the respect of the country’s constitution and laws.”
The bishops also expressed fear on the “painful developments in some Arab countries.” They called for security and stability in these countries and hoped that “the people’s demand for freedom, democracy and justice would be achieved through an understanding and cooperation among all the citizens of these nations.”
Reiterating their rejection of the naturalization of Palestinians in Lebanon, the bishops hoped that the international community would recognize the state of Palestine after more than 30 years of struggle.
The statement stressed the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the state that they are expected to announce in accordance with international resolutions.
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