Rai hopes that ‘the state will restore its sovereignty' over the entire Lebanese territory
'We pray for the state to extend its sovereignty, for lasting and just peace to be established in Lebanon, and for reconstruction to begin,' said the religious leader in his homily at the Mar Chaaya convent in Metn, during a mass celebrating the 325th anniversary of the Maronite Antonin monks, attended by President Joseph Aoun and his wife Neemat.
His remarks come shortly after the strong statements by Naim Qassem, head of Hezbollah, who said his organization was ready for confrontation if disarmament were imposed on it, after the government tasked the Lebanese Army with developing a plan to disarm it. After more than a year of fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militia party, and a cease-fire established on Nov. 27, 2024, reconstruction has still not begun in southern Lebanon and other regions of the country due to lack of funding. Washington conditions its aid on the disarmament of Hezbollah by Lebanese authorities.
The Maronite Patriarch also reminded that Lebanon is a mission and a homeland of diversity. 'We pray for a sincere will to break free from a mindset of deadlock, toward a national thinking that unites, sacrifices, and does not divide,' he added, referring to the institutional deadlock caused by the Shiite Amal-Hezbollah duo, which blocked the presidential election and stalled the reform process for years.
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