Bishop al-Hage denies meeting Israeli president, critics persist

The Maronite Patriarchal Vicar of Haifa and Jerusalem, Mgr Moussa al-Hage, denied on Thursday that he had taken part in the annual Christmas greetings ceremony for the bishops of Jerusalem, alongside Israeli President Isaac Herzog. His alleged presence at the ceremony had caused an uproar a few days ago. The Bishop’s detractors insist, however, that he was indeed present. According to a press release from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated Dec. 21, Bishop Hage's name appears on the list of prelates who met the Israeli head of state that day, alongside other Christian religious dignitaries. The name of the bishop of the Syriac-Catholic Church, Mgr Camille Semaan, also appeared in the text.

Denial

On December 21, President Herzog posted photos of the meeting on X, but neither Mgr Hage nor Mgr Semaan could be seen.

This was all it took to provoke the ire of circles close to Hezbollah, despite Bishop Hage denying such allegations in an interview with the Lebanese daily Nida' el-Watan on Thursday.

In the interview, the Bishop calimed "a smear and terror campaign” was “fabricated to launch accusations of treachery against [him]," and he "refuses to submit." However, Hage stressed that as a representative of the Vatican and the Church, "he is empowered, on their behalf, to do what is required, and to abstain when necessary."

Archbishop Hage goes on to explain that some of his peers took part in the reception of the Israeli president, simply "so that they could take their case to [Israeli] officials and condemn the military operations taking place in Palestine."

Quoted by Nida' el-Watan, Bishop Hage "denied having taken part in the reception of the Israeli president."

The bishop did not respond to our request for comment.

However, a source close to the Maronite Patriarchate, who requested anonymity, told L’Orient-Le Jour that he "does not know whether Bishop Hage participated or not,” adding that the Maronite Patriarch Bechara el-Rai had tried to contact the bishop, but that "communication was difficult." The source declined to provide further clarification on this assertion.

She did indicate, however, that the head of the Maronite Church "wishes to settle this matter behind the scenes, diplomatically."

Despite Bishop Hage's denial, circles close to Hezbollah do not seem convinced by this version of events. The party itself has not officially commented on the event.

"We don't want to talk about this issue, for fear that it might provoke communal dissension", a source in the party requesting anonymity told L’Orient-Le Jour.

It was not Hezbollah that raised the matter, but rather the "Committee of Detainees and Released Prisoners," which is close to the party, explained the source.

On Wednesday, members of the committee presented a memorandum to the Lebanese judiciary against the two Christian prelates concerned, "for making contact with the enemy."

Lebanon's 1955 law on boycotting Israel prohibits interaction between Lebanese and Israelis. It prohibits any individual or legal entity from entering into contact with Israelis or persons residing in Israel. It also prohibits all commercial, financial and other transactions. The penalty for violating this law is three to ten years of hard labor.

"We challenge Bishop Hage's approach, as well as that of his peers," said the Hezbollah source, who said it is not the first time Bishop Hage has found himself at the center of such controversy.

In July 2022, the Maronite bishop was arrested by Lebanese General Security for twelve hours at the Ras Naqoura border checkpoint in southern Lebanon, while he was making his monthly trip to Beirut, carrying aid for needy families. This unprecedented incident was seen at the time as a dangerous precedent in patriarchal circles. Patriarch Rai's intervention with the officials concerned helped to turn the page and spare the patriarchal vicar legal sanction.

This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.