The Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai presiding over a mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, on May 3, 2026. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — The controversy over an online campaign targeting Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, launched by Hezbollah supporters after LBCI aired a critical video of the group, continued to build on Monday.
Amid calls circulating on social media for Hezbollah rallies condemning the broadcast, the Interior Ministry said the gatherings would not be authorized. Visitors also went to Bkirki in support of Rai, including U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
Planned demonstrations at noon in front of the Justice Palace did not take place. In a statement, the Interior Ministry said the “organizing parties” had not formally notified Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud of the sit-ins.
“To preserve internal stability, and given the sensitivity of the current phase, which requires a high level of vigilance and national responsibility, the ministry announces that it does not authorize the holding of these two gatherings,” it said.
The ministry added that enforcement would be carried out by the governor and Internal Security Forces, in coordination with the Lebanese Army if needed. Police vehicles blocked access to the Justice Palace as a precaution, while social media groups close to Hezbollah said the protest calls were fake.
In recent days, internal tensions have been reflected in security incidents and media campaigns, even as officials call for “national unity.” Over the weekend, a campaign targeting Rai emerged in response to an LBCI video that caricatured Hezbollah, its leader, and its fighters as characters from the video game “Angry Birds.” The station later removed the clip, and criticism of the patriarch drew widespread condemnation.
Complaint filed
Although no protest took place, a group of lawyers led by former MP Elie Mahfoud — a vocal critic of Hezbollah — filed a complaint with the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation over digital attacks against the patriarch.
“The issue concerns the dignity of the state,” Mahfoud said, warning of a “crisis” driven by “hate speech” from certain groups. He criticized those behind the campaign for targeting Rai rather than those responsible for the video, calling it an “easy target,” and warned that any failure to investigate could lead to “serious chaos.”
Mahfoud also addressed Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, saying that “attacking Patriarch Rai primarily concerns” him, noting that Berri was a student at a Maronite school affiliated with the patriarchate. According to his official biography, Berri completed part of his secondary education at Ecole de la Sagesse.
Issa comments from Bkirki
Issa condemned the campaign against the patriarch during his visit, saying, "Lebanon is a country of coexistence, and those who attacked him should go find another country to live in, not here."
Previously commenting on anticipated negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv under U.S. auspices, Issa had said in a live address that a meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — as advocated by U.S. President Donald Trump — would not be “a loss or concession.”
Issa argues that a trip by Aoun to the White House would give him the opportunity to present Lebanon’s demands, especially that “every inch of Lebanon remains and returns to Lebanon.”
“Is Netanyahu some kind of bogeyman? He is just another negotiating party,” Issa said.
