Al-Rahi Says Rulers Undermining 'Foundations of Strong State'

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Wednesday warned that Lebanon’s leaders are “undermining the foundations of the strong state.”

“We in Lebanon have political conflicts that turn into sectarian ones and distort the culture of the National Pact, coexistence and the formula of balanced partnership in power and administration,” al-Rahi lamented.

“This political-sectarian spirit is interfering in the matters of administration, judiciary, the court’s rulings, the army, the Internal Security Forces and other security agencies according to its interests, undermining confidence in them,” the patriarch said.

He decried that “the rulers themselves are destroying public institutions and undermining the strong and respectable state, the state of law and justice.”

“This situation cannot continue at the expense of the people, who are suffering from stifling economic and social crises,” al-Rahi cautioned.