Rahi Urges Formation of All-Party Gov’t, President to ‘Pull Lebanon from Rock Bottom’

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi (National News Agency)
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi (National News Agency)
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Rahi Urges Formation of All-Party Gov’t, President to ‘Pull Lebanon from Rock Bottom’

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi (National News Agency)
Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi (National News Agency)

Lebanon’s top Christian cleric has reiterated demands for politicians to speed up the formation of an all-party government and elect a new president to pull the country out of rock bottom.

"The government shall be inclusive, inspire confidence through its national approach, and seriously address some outstanding issues," Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi said at a sermon in Bkerke on Sunday.

He cited article 73 of the constitution, which stipulates electing a new president one month at least and two months at most before the term limit of the current president ends.

Rahi expressed regret at Lebanon’s current “isolation” from the Arab world after being a “partner in the progress of societies.”

“Unfortunately, Lebanon is affected more than other countries with the regional developments because many of its parties have chosen to take sides,” Rahi lamented.

He expressed regret that all regional countries are moving ahead and seeking to overcome obstacles, while Lebanon is immersed in problems and crises.

Rahi further stressed that the only way for Lebanon to achieve stability and growth is by being neutral to regional developments.

He pledged to help all relevant parties wishing to overcome obstacles, to form a new government, and elect a president to save the country, restore its sovereignty, and put it back on the right track.

He said that delay in government formation is an exception in all world countries but has become a norm in Lebanon.

“We are not willing to surrender to fate, accept the logic of living in permanent crises, nor submit to the status quo,” Rahi stressed. He affirmed that he will not spare any internal, Arab and international effort to save Lebanon.

He noted that waiting only means wasting opportunities and losing the country.



Aid to Gaza 'Facing Total Collapse', Warn 12 NGOs

 A Palestinian boy looks through a hole in the wall into a damaged room after an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 17, 2025. (AFP)
A Palestinian boy looks through a hole in the wall into a damaged room after an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 17, 2025. (AFP)
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Aid to Gaza 'Facing Total Collapse', Warn 12 NGOs

 A Palestinian boy looks through a hole in the wall into a damaged room after an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 17, 2025. (AFP)
A Palestinian boy looks through a hole in the wall into a damaged room after an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 17, 2025. (AFP)

The humanitarian aid system in Gaza is "facing total collapse" because of Israel's blockade on aid supplies since March 2, the heads of 12 major aid organizations warned Thursday, urging Israel to let them "do our jobs".

Israel has vowed to maintain its blockage on humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged territory, saying it is the only way to force Hamas to release the 58 hostages still held there.

"Every single person in Gaza is relying on humanitarian aid to survive," the chief executives of 12 NGOs, including Oxfam and Save the Children, wrote in a joint statement.

"That lifeline has been completely cut off since a blockade on all aid supplies was imposed by Israeli authorities on March 2," they said, adding that "This is one of the worst humanitarian failures of our generation."

A survey of 43 international and Palestinian aid organizations working in Gaza found that almost all have suspended or drastically cut services since a ceasefire ended on March 18, "with widespread and indiscriminate bombing making it extremely dangerous to move around", the NGOs said.

"Famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts of Gaza," they said. "Survival itself is now slipping out of reach and the humanitarian system is at breaking point."

"We call on all parties to guarantee the safety of our staff and to allow the safe, unfettered access of aid into and across Gaza through all entry points, and for world leaders to oppose further restrictions."

Israel's renewed assault has killed at least 1,691 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, bringing the overall toll since the war erupted to 51,065, most of them civilians.

Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, also mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.