Beirut: Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi called on Lebanon to choose the path of statehood, dialogue, and peace, warning of the dangers of returning to war amid the rapidly unfolding developments in the region.
According to National News Agency - Lebanon, in his Sunday homily, Al-Rahi emphasized that Lebanon must choose "the path of truth, not illusions; the path of the state, not the logic of parallel states; and the path of dialogue, not the language of weapons."
The Patriarch highlighted the critical choice facing the country: either "implement the framework agreement in a way that guarantees the state's sovereignty over all its territory, its independence, and stability, or return to the cycle of war that brings nothing to our peoples but destruction, death, displacement, and suffering."
Al-Rahi stated that "peace is what we seek, and war is what we reject," emphasizing that the desired peace must preserve human dignity, safeguard Lebanon's sovereignty, and restore confidence among its citizens.
He further added that nations "are not built through dominance, but through partnership; they do not achieve stability through force, but through justice."
The patriarch reaffirmed that Lebanon's active neutrality remains the fundamental guarantee of its historic role, explaining that it protects the country from the burdens of regional conflicts and allows it to serve as a bridge for dialogue rather than a battleground for disputes.
He clarified that active neutrality "does not mean abandoning just causes or withdrawing from the region, but rather protecting Lebanon's independence, preserving its unity, and enabling it to fulfill its mission of bringing peoples closer and serving peace."
On domestic issues, Al-Rahi pointed out that political, financial, and economic recovery begins with restoring trust, which he described as the foundation of the state, economy, and institutions.
He called for financial legislation, particularly laws related to the banking sector and depositors' funds, to comply with the Constitution and legal principles, ensuring the protection of depositors' rights and savings. He stressed that restoring Lebanese citizens' confidence is the true gateway to any comprehensive national recovery plan.