Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi on Sunday reflected on the desperate situation of the country and urged for humanitarian assistance from friendly countries to the Lebanese people who are victims of the ruling class.
He expressed hope that the meeting between President Michel Aoun and the Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri would have a good outcome because Lebanon has reached the breaking point.
That, however, did not happen on Monday as the duo failed to form a government on their 18th meeting together as Aoun reportedly insists on gaining veto power.
In his sermon, Al-Rahi’s stance was clearly in support of the aim of PM-designate Hariri to form a government of specialists and independents who can implement needed reforms to improve the country’s socio-economic condition and turn around the harrowing situation.
“Enough obstructive conditions aimed at obstruction and procrastination,” he said. “Forming the government does not take more than 24 hours.”
“But if there are those who want to carry the upcoming government to the region’s conflicts, the game of nations, the race to the presidency of the republic […] then it will increase the rift between the people and the authority, and lead to chaos that will not show mercy to anyone, starting with its perpetrators,” he said about those tampering with the government formation and hindering progress in Lebanon.
Supported by a big chunk of the Lebanese society, Al-Rahi has called for an international conference for Lebanon to force a solution to its crises.
Foreign intervention can come in the form of sanctions against Lebanon’s corrupt elite who are obstructing the progress of the country, as mentioned by a French diplomat, who said sanctions were on the table.
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