Lebanese Forces slam Hezbollah's letter to the pope

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Forces (LF) party issued a statement Sunday strongly criticizing Hezbollah's letter to Pope Leo XIV ahead of his visit to Lebanon, while also urging the pope to "adopt positions rejecting the injustices and attacks" perpetrated by Israel against Lebanon.

The LF, a long-standing opponent of Hezbollah, said the latter's "message contains a series of falsehoods," adding that it's an "inappropriate attempt to mislead both the Holy See and the Lebanese people."

"This message sought to portray Hezbollah as a defender of human rights and peoples, and as a bearer of Lebanese concerns, whereas the suffering of the Lebanese stems primarily from its weapons outside the rule of law and its policies that have tied Lebanon to foreign axes, preventing the establishment of a true state capable of providing security, stability, and prosperity," the statement continued.

It added: "There can be no coexistence under domination, illegal weapons, and the confiscation of the state’s decision. Coexistence is achieved through equality before the state, the Constitution, and the law, not through hegemony, imposition, and force. There is no democracy under coercion, threat, and obstruction."

'Falsification of facts' and lack of respect

The LF also expressed "deep gratitude and great appreciation" for the pope’s positions and support for Lebanon, praising his "love and constant attention to the 'homeland of the message' and the historic role the Holy See plays in defending freedom and coexistence."

A senior LF official, MP Antoine Habshi, criticized Hezbollah’s letter for adopting "a general tone presented as unifying, while in reality, it is used as a tool to spread predetermined concepts and impose them as obligatory references for all Lebanese," according to a statement cited in the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Another LF MP, Ghayath Yazbeck, issued a pointed response: “To those who do not know, pretend not to know, or try to be cunning, we remind them that the Holy See neither expects nor requests any letter, open or closed, from any party. But if some insist on appealing to it, they should know that this authority, which knows the Lebanese issue down to its smallest details, expects this expertise to be respected, and not to be flooded with flattery, falsification of facts and praise disguised as criticism, whether by Hezbollah or anyone else wielding their pen.”

Yazbeck added: “Such an approach is disrespectful toward the distinguished guest, reveals an intention to persist in undermining the common foundations among the Lebanese, which is shocking, dangerous, and portends dark days that Hezbollah is preparing to inflict on Lebanon.”