A masked gunman fires bullets into the air in Kahaleh during Fadi Bejjani's funeral, on August 11, 2023 Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP)
BEIRUT — Maronite Church leader Bechara Rai criticized Hezbollah and its arsenal on Sunday without directly naming the organization, calling on Lebanese parties "to fall in line with the State, particularly with regard to the use of weapons." During a mass in the village of Kaakour (northern Metn), Rai expressed his regrets over the deaths of Fadi Bejjani, a Kahaleh local, as well as that of a Hezbollah militant, who were both killed in an exchange of fire after a truck carrying Hezbollah arms overturned in Kahaleh (Aley) last Wednesday.
"We call on all the components of the country and the parties to come under the leadership of the State, particularly with regard to the use of weapons. We cannot live in a country where there is more than one state and more than one regular army, more than one authority and more than one sovereignty. We must respect the Taif Agreement in its entirety, as well as the decisions of the international community with regard to Lebanon's sovereignty," declared Archbishop Rai in his Sunday sermon.
Rai also commented the security situation of the country, in particular the suspicious death of Elias Hasrouny, a former senior Lebanese Forces member in Ain Ebel, South Lebanon.
"We share the pain and sadness of the people of Ain Ebel for the kidnapping, torture and murder of Elias Hasrouny, who fought alongside them for years, as well as that of the people of Kahaleh for the murder of Fadi Bejjani, who also fought during the civil war for Kahaleh to stand firm and who fell victim to Hezbollah's truckload of weapons. We are also saddened by the death of a victim in the ranks of Hezbollah," said Rai.
"We leave the investigation to the army and the security services and the judiciary, because we believe in the state and its institutions," added the patriarch.
"We are facing, today, a new regional system that gives rise to fear and concern. We need to elect a president as soon as possible. He is the one who will guarantee the renewal of constitutional institutions and public administration," Rai added.
Lebanon has been without a head of state since October 31, when Michel Aoun's term expired. Parliament still hasn't appointed a successor, due to the lack of political agreement between factions.
Hezbollah denies rumors
Hezbollah also denied to L'Orient-Le Jour the reports circulating on local media websites stating that a delegation from the party travelled to Kahaleh to offer condolences to Fadi Bejjani's family. On Sunday afternoon, the party publicly stated that "this information is absolutely false."
Commenting on the Kahaleh incident, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary group, Mohammad Raad, said at a partisan event on Sunday that "the consequences of the Kahaleh incident are due to incitement and rancor promoted by others (...)."
According to Raad, the incident "is not linked to the overturning of a truck on the Kahaleh bend, but to a stance taken in relation to the Resistance [Hezbollah] because they don't want a resistance in this country and because this truck is an element of this resistance."
"Without the resistance, Israel would still be in Baabda Palace," said Raad. "Where was Kahaleh when the Israelis were in Baabda Palace?" he asked.
"Israel's allies are asking a few idiots in this country to work against the Resistance. (...) They have to be careful not to make the same mistakes again, otherwise we'll be inclined to think that you want to get out of the Taif Agreement. Those who don't want the Resistance don't want Taif," he added.
Audi calls for "encouraging young people to stay" in Lebanon
The Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop of Beirut, Elias Audi, criticized on Sunday "those officials [who] are beyond accountability."
"The port crime is the best example. How can citizens trust them and the justice system? We hope that they will pull themselves together, realize their mistakes and do what is necessary to ensure that the country is not emptied of more of its inhabitants," said Audi during his Sunday sermon, referring to the August 4 Beirut port explosion which has gone unpunished to this day.
Audi also called on "those in power to create the necessary environment to encourage young people to stay" in Lebanon.
