Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rai said on Sunday that the country was not facing an ordinary government problem, but “a comprehensive national crisis that calls for concerted efforts from all.”
In his weekly Sunday sermon, Rai called on all political forces to “join hands and name in the upcoming parliamentary consultations a Sunni figure to head a new cabinet capable of facing current challenges.”
“It is necessary to overcome selfishness, personal interests, and narrow electoral calculations that unfortunately dominate the minds of the majority of political forces at the expense of the higher national interest,” he underlined.
He continued: “Stalling, neglect and lack of dialogue and cooperation, reinforce the need for an international conference for Lebanon to help the country and the Lebanese out of their multifaceted distress.”
Rai noted that the political community “demonstrates every day its inability to carry out its simplest duties towards the people and the country, and its failure to preserve state institutions and the independence of national legitimacy.”
“This political group is incapable of solving simple daily issues such as waste, electricity, food, medicine and fuel, is unable to fight corruption, facilitate the work of the judiciary, control the ministries and departments and put an end to smuggling. It is also unable to form a government and address crucial issues such as reforms and demarcation of borders, and adopt neutrality,” the patriarch emphasized.
