Rai accuses politicians of transforming Lebanon into a religious and sectarian state

Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai on Sunday accused Lebanese politicians of transforming Lebanon from a country that separates religion from the state to a religious and sectarian one.

"The intentions are revealed, derived from the results of [presidential] vacancy of transforming Lebanon from a state that separates religion from the state to a religious, sectarian, and confrontational state," Rai said during Sunday's prayer.

Lebanon has been without a president for more than a year. Meanwhile, the cabinet has been serving in a caretaker capacity since May 2022.

"We are also witnessing in state appointments including judiciary appointments that the people with power violate it and politically intervene eliminating a separation in authorities which is against the constitution, as well as an obstruction of the judiciary," Rai also said.

Lebanon's top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat's term in office is due to end on Feb. 21.

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"The corrupt who compiled money by stealing public money from the state, transfer tricks, illicit wealth and tax evasion — those [people] cannot challenge god," Rai also said.

The patriarch also again called on Israel and groups within Lebanon to abide by UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

"Since the beginning of the war, we have considered the Israeli war on Gaza monstrous … And we have repeated that both the Lebanese and the Israeli side have to abide by the 1701 [UN resolution] to protect the villages of the south from killing, destruction, and displacement," Rai said.

Resolution 1701, reached between Israel and Lebanon in 2006 after the July war, gave explicit power to UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army on what is known as the Blue Line, which demarcates the line separating Lebanon from Israel. He also said that Lebanon cannot play the role of a mediator in the ongoing conflict in Gaza and south Lebanon "while it is involved in conflicts that it does not want."

"We also have not stopped calling for a permanent cease-fire and for negotiations that come up with a diplomatic and political solution for a two-state solution," the Maronite patriarch said.

Rai has repeatedly criticized the political class in Lebanon and often suggests strong criticism of Hezbollah in particular.