For Maronite Synod, presidential vacancy is "unacceptable and dangerous," solidarity with Churches of Syria and Iraq
Bkerké (AsiaNews) - For the Synod of Maronite Bishops that ended last night, the presidential vacancy created since President Michel Suleiman's term of office ended on 25 May is "unacceptable and dangerous".
Since then, the Lebanese parliament has met seven times, but each time lacked the quorum to vote for a candidate mainly because of a boycott by the 8 March group (Hizbollah and Michel Aoun's party), which would like to see the ambitious former general as president.
The annual Synod, who brought Maronite bishops from around the world, took place in two phases: a spiritual retreat between 11 and 14 June followed by series of lectures and discussions on 16 to 19 June.
"The stance by some parliamentarians who refrain from entering Parliament to cast their ballot in the presidential election . . . is unacceptable." It violates their duty and national consciousness as well as the "mandate that was entrusted to them by the people."
The bishops' statement also expressed strong concern for the Middle East situation. "Regional developments that threaten to change the map of the Middle East and dismantle the states will have repercussions on Lebanon".
The bishops expressed total support for Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's position. The latter urged Lebanese MPs to find a suitable presidential candidate, and asked the two Christians vying for the post (Aoun and Samir Geagea) to step aside to make way for a name acceptable for all groups.
Speaking about Syria and Iraq, the bishops urged that "the whole East to break the cycle of violence . . . and try to settle their disputes by peaceful means through objective a comprehensive reconciliation."
They also slammed all violations against Muslims and Christians and called for the release of two Orthodox bishops, Mgrs Boulos Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim, kidnapped more than a year.
The Synod spoke favourably about Beshara al-Rahi's recent pastoral visit to the Holy Land, which has "given hope" to the Lebanese (Christians and Muslims) who fled to Israel.
The bishops hope for a solution of "reconciliation" that would allow the return of those Lebanese forced to leave during the war.
Rahi's visit to Israel raised a lot of criticism, especially from Hizbollah, because they view it as a "dangerous precedent" that could favour the State of Israel, with whom Lebanon is still technically at war.
Hizbollah and many residents in southern Lebanon consider the fugitives in Israel as "traitors" because they are suspected of collaborating with Israel during its 22 years of occupation of the region.
The Patriarch visited them and defended them by saying that many of them were forced to flee because of a war they did not decide.
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