Al-Rahi: Israeli Withdrawal and Palestinian’s Return, then ‘Hezbollah’s Weapons’

Local Editor

During a televised interview on Thursday, the Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated that “international community must pressure Israel to withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories … and fulfill the Palestinians’ right of return, and consequently Hezbollah will have to lay down its arms,”al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Friday. “In France everybody asks: why Hezbollah carries weapons? We answer that… as long as there is occupied Lebanese territory, Hezbollah will continue to say that he’s carrying weapons to defend his land. Then how do we respond to him? You have no right to do that?!” al-Rahi said. STL The Maronite Patriarch expressed support for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon “on condition that it is neither politicized nor forged,” pointing out that “we demand in Lebanon to establish a judicial body which puts an end to the infringement of figures. Judicial authority constitutes a need for all peoples and it shouldn’t be politicized.” SYRIA Concerning the situation in Syria, al-Rahi urged the international community to grant Assad more time to implement reforms and resume dialogue with the opposition. “Assad cannot make miracles… The Lebanese have suffered from the Syrian regime’s meddling, however, I want to be objective,” he added.

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