Lebanon must be kept out of Hamas-Israel war, Patriarch says
Beirut, LebanonReuters Lebanon’s top Christian cleric urged state officials on Monday to shield Lebanon from the war between Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Israel, as the Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah clashes with Israeli forces at the border. Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai holds a mass in the memory of victims of August 4, 2020 Beirut […]
Lebanon’s top Christian cleric says judge probing port blast must be allowed to pursue truth
Amman, Jordan Reuters Lebanon’s top Christian cleric called on Sunday for the judge struggling to investigate the Beirut port explosion to be able to pursue his work and get help from any outside authority to pinpoint those responsible for the devastating blast. Long-simmering tensions over the investigation have boiled over since Judge Tarek Bitar brought […]
Lebanon’s top Christian cleric issues elections plea
Beirut, LebanonReuters Lebanon’s top Christian cleric, Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, stressed the importance of the country holding legislative elections next year as he delivered his Christmas sermon on Saturday. Al-Rai also called for the government to convene, saying that failing to do so sets a precedent that may hinder the function of future governments. Maronite […]
Lebanon patriarch calls for end to meddling in judiciary after blast probe stalls
Amman, JordanReuters Lebanon’s top Christian cleric said on Sunday the government should put an end to any meddling in the judiciary after the probe into last year’s vast Beirut port blast was halted by the latest of a series of complaints against the lead investigator. The investigation was frozen on Monday when a former minister […]
Lebanese demand justice on port blast anniversary
Beirut, LebanonReuters Lebanon’s leading Christian cleric said there could be no immunity from prosecution over the catastrophic Beirut port blast and that officials were evading investigation, as many Lebanese marked the first anniversary by demanding justice. As Lebanon suffers a crippling economic collapse, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai also criticised the ruling class for failing […]
Lebanon’s top Christian cleric berates politicians as deadlock drags on
Beirut, LebanonReuters Lebanon’s most senior Christian cleric on Wednesday bemoaned the inability of the country’s senior politicians to agree a government as the country sinks further into financial collapse. “We don’t have bread, we don’t have medicine, we don’t have fuel, what are they waiting for?” Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai said after a meeting […]