Lebanese Patriarch Renews Debate over Syria Border Demarcation in Shebaa Farms

Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai. (NNA)
Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai. (NNA)
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Lebanese Patriarch Renews Debate over Syria Border Demarcation in Shebaa Farms

Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai. (NNA)
Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai. (NNA)

Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai revived on Sunday debate over the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian border in the southern Shebaa Farms region.

He made his remarks days after parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced that a framework had been agreed upon to begin indirect US-mediated talks with Israel on land and maritime border demarcation, which will be led by the Lebanese army.

"We should work to demarcate the borders with Syria in the area of Shebaa Farms to end the abnormal and ambiguous situation there," the Patriarch said during Sunday mass.

Rai welcomed the framework agreement, which will allow Lebanon to restore its international border line in the South, facilitate the extraction of its maritime wealth of oil and gas, and end the series of attacks and wars between Lebanon and Israel, according to Resolution 1701 of the Security Council, which places it on a path of peaceful negotiation instead of fighting, without this implying a process of normalization.

“On this occasion, an agreement must be found to resolve the issue of the presence of about half a million Palestinian refugees in Lebanon,” Rai continued, adding that through more resilience, Lebanon is bound to overcome its ordeals.

Touching on the political situation in the country, the Patriarch addressed the ruling class, saying: "You are not the masters of the people, but rather servants," regretting, with great pain, the departure of many Lebanese people in search of work opportunities, security and a decent life abroad.

“As I share their disappointment with everything, yes everything, I invite you, our young women and men, to think carefully before making the decision to migrate," he said.

“Amid the deliberate impasse, where there is no government, no rescue plan, no reforms, no respect for the constitution and no shame, we should all think about making a breakthrough without waiting for foreign developments,” he urged.

“Waiting for the outside proves that parties have loyalties abroad,” he remarked.

He underlined the “enormity of the situation and the possibility that various developments may take place.”

This demands the need to form a government that can meet the aspirations of the people so that constitutional work can take its course and so that no one can take advantage of the “constitutional coma”, caretaker government or coronavirus pandemic for their own interests.

“We hope all spiritual, official, political and partisan leaderships would again turn to the constitution, listen to the people and end the country’s deep crisis,” Rai declared.



Lebanon: Hezbollah ‘Mends’ Ties with Prime Minister

Salam met with a Hezbollah delegation. (Premiership)
Salam met with a Hezbollah delegation. (Premiership)
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Lebanon: Hezbollah ‘Mends’ Ties with Prime Minister

Salam met with a Hezbollah delegation. (Premiership)
Salam met with a Hezbollah delegation. (Premiership)

A Hezbollah delegation visited Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail on Wednesday with the aim of “mending” ties with the Premier after the latter’s remarks about the party’s arms.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had met with Salam two days ago in a bid to ease the tension between Salam and Hezbollah and pave the way for the meeting between the two.

The Hezbollah delegation comprised head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohamed Raad, MPs Hussein Hajj Hassan, Amin Sherri, Hasan Fadlallah and Ibrahim al-Musawi.

According to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the meeting has opened a "new path for the relations” between Salam and Hezbollah.

Hezbollah pins high importance on the cessation of Israeli hostilities and the need for Israel to withdraw from five strategic points it still occupies in southern Lebanon, in addition to reconstruction after Israel’s war on the country, the sources stated.

Salam for his part emphasized commitment to the provisions in the ministerial policy statement, said the sources, with emphasis on continued coordination between the two.

Raad told reporters after the meeting that the party has nothing but “good intentions” towards the government, “we are keen for lasting consensus with all the country’s components, and with all the ministries”.

Raad stated that Hezbollah is keen to cooperate with the government, “Nothing can hamper the cooperation between us and the government, which we are part of”.

“We know this phase is a difficult one...We, as government and people, authorities and political forces, must know that our priorities at this stage stand at ending the Israeli occupation, returning the hostages, and stop the daily Israeli aggressions happening daily on roads and in villages in the South, and to begin reconstruction”, stated the MP.

Whether discussions with the PM touched on the party’s armament, Raad said it was not discussed in detail. “The issue of arms must be discussed in an objective manner that preserves the country’s interest, the choices of its people, and deterring the Israeli aggression threatening its security and stability”.

On reports that Hezbollah has conditioned the option of its disarmament to reconstruction, Raad denied saying: “everything will be discussed in truly time”.