Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai and FPM leader Gebran Bassil in Diman. (OLJ archive photo)
In a show of solidarity, the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb, two main rivals of the Free Patriotic Movement, met with the head of the Maronite Church Bechara al-Rai in his summer residence in Diman on Sunday. The meeting came in the wake of the July 18 arrest of the Maronite Archbishop of Jerusalem and Haifa, Moussa al-Hage, at the Ras al-Naqoura border crossing. Hage was on his way back to Lebanon from a visit in Israeli-controlled territory.The FPM, however, was nowhere to be seen during Sunday’s gathering.Their absence raised the question: Has the controversy surrounding Hage further isolated the FPM on Lebanon’s Christian political scene?It wasn’t until two days after the arrest that the FPM finally reacted publicly to the incident, which was said to be a strong message from Hezbollah — an ally of the Aounist party — to Rai, who...
In a show of solidarity, the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb, two main rivals of the Free Patriotic Movement, met with the head of the Maronite Church Bechara al-Rai in his summer residence in Diman on Sunday. The meeting came in the wake of the July 18 arrest of the Maronite Archbishop of Jerusalem and Haifa, Moussa al-Hage, at the Ras al-Naqoura border crossing. Hage was on his way back to Lebanon from a visit in Israeli-controlled territory.The FPM, however, was nowhere to be seen during Sunday’s gathering.Their absence raised the question: Has the controversy surrounding Hage further isolated the FPM on Lebanon’s Christian political scene?It wasn’t until two days after the arrest that the FPM finally reacted publicly to the incident, which was said to be a strong message from Hezbollah — an ally of the Aounist party — to...