Lebanon’s Supreme Islamic Sharia Council Calls for Cooperation with Mikati to Resolve Crisis

Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian gestures during a ceremony for his appointment in Beirut August 10, 2014. (Reuters)
Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian gestures during a ceremony for his appointment in Beirut August 10, 2014. (Reuters)
TT

Lebanon’s Supreme Islamic Sharia Council Calls for Cooperation with Mikati to Resolve Crisis

Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian gestures during a ceremony for his appointment in Beirut August 10, 2014. (Reuters)
Lebanese Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian gestures during a ceremony for his appointment in Beirut August 10, 2014. (Reuters)

Lebanon’s Supreme Islamic Sharia Council expressed its support for Prime Minister Najib Mikati for laying out a roadmap to address the crisis with Saudi Arabia and Gulf States, calling for national cooperation in this regard.

During a meeting on Saturday headed by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdullatif Derian, in the presence of former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, the Council denounced “persistent reluctance” in resolving the crisis.

“The most dangerous and worst thing that Lebanon is facing is that someone, who does not believe in this fraternity, has taken over the file of brotherly relations with Arab countries,” the Council said in a statement, warning of “disastrous consequences of such an immoral, unpatriotic and non-Arab policy.”

The Council declared its support for Mikati, “who expressed a firm position by drawing up a roadmap to resolve the crisis that Lebanon is experiencing in its relations with its Arab brothers, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

It also called on all Lebanese parties to cooperate with the premier to contain the repercussions of this crisis.”

The Council said it discussed with concern “attempts to obstruct the investigation into the Beirut Port blast.” It renewed its call to “continue the investigation transparently and comprehensively, by lifting the immunity of all officials who are supposed to be included in the probe.”

In remarks following the meeting, Siniora warned against “dangers threatening Lebanon and the supreme national interest.”

“Lebanon must return to its Arab fold, and the government should be keen on achieving this,” he underlined.



Pope Calls Situation in Gaza 'Shameful'

Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
TT

Pope Calls Situation in Gaza 'Shameful'

Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Pope Francis on Thursday stepped up his recent criticisms of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful.”

In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza, where there is almost no electricity.

"We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians," the text said, according to Reuters.
"We cannot accept that children are freezing to death because hospitals have been destroyed or a country's energy network has been hit."

The pope, 88, was present for the address but asked an aide to read it for him as he is recovering from a cold.

The comments were part of an address to Vatican-accredited envoys from some 184 countries that is sometimes called the pope's 'state of the world' speech. The Israeli ambassador to the Holy See was among those present for the event.

Francis, leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, is usually careful about taking sides in conflicts.
But he has recently been more outspoken about Israel's military campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas, and has suggested
the global community should study whether the offensive constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.
An Israeli government minister publicly denounced the pontiff in December for that suggestion.

The pope's text said he condemns anti-Semitism, and called the growth of anti-Semitic groups "a source of deep concern."
Francis also called for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, which has killed tens of thousands.