Saniora Welcomes Papal Visit, Says Lebanon’s Sovereignty Violated by Israel, Syria

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad al-Saniora urged the Lebanese people to unite against continuous Israeli violations of Lebanon's sovereignty, which is now being violated by Syria, welcoming the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon.

“The souls of our citizens are being violated by Israel and today by the Syrian regime,” Saniora told reporters after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki.

He said that the visit of Benedict is a “significant” step during the critical phase the region is passing through.

“This step confirms the late pope John Paul II’s statements that coexistence in Lebanon isn’t a simple matter and Christians in the Middle East are a fundamental component,” Saniora pointed out.

He stressed that al-Mustaqbal movement and its supporters will be among the people first to welcome the pope.

The pope is due to leave on Friday for a three-day visit to Lebanon, which has been battling to contain an eruption of violence triggered by Syria's bloodshed, including a spate of mass kidnappings.

Benedict is expected to bring a message of peace for the Middle East.

Saniora said that al-Mustaqbal movement and al-Rahi have “identical points of view” that will not be separated no matter how hard others try.

“The dreadful plot to target the northern region of Akkar during al-Rahi’s visit was thwarted by the security agencies,” he noted.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc head stated that al-Rahi’s successful visit to Akkar indicates how much the Lebanese are holding on to their country, “coexistence remains the foundation” in Lebanon.

He was referring to the case of ex-Minister Michel Samaha who was charged along with Syrian security chief Gen. Ali Mamlouk and another officer known by his first name as Adnan with plotting terror attacks and assassinations of political and religious figures in the country.

Concerning the film "Innocence of Muslims” which portrays Muslims as immoral and gratuitously violent, Saniora denounced the movie saying: “We refuse these kind of offenses.”

“The timing of the film aims at creating incitement and angering Muslims to divide them among each other and with the Western community,” he said.

He considered that regardless of the nationality of whoever produced this movie, “it doesn’t mean that his compatriots are responsible for his actions.”

The film pokes fun at the Prophet Mohammed and touches on themes of pedophilia and homosexuality, while showing him sleeping with women, talking about killing children and referring to a donkey as "the first Muslim animal."

Mystery has deepened over the film, with conflicting accounts from backers and promoters but no one owning up to having actually directed it.

U.S. media initially cited someone claiming to be an American-Israeli calling himself Sam Bacile as saying he made the film on a $5 million budget with the help of 100 Jews, but no record of such a person has been found.