Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi called on Sunday for a reconciliation among bickering politicians to ease political, security and economic pressure on the Lebanese people. During his sermon in Bkirki, al-Rahi said he has “asked for the reconciliation of politicians and the bickering sects out of pity for the people that are suffering from security instability, and a strangling economic and livelihood crisis.”

The patriarch reiterated that the spat between the different parties was paralyzing constitutional institutions and public life, in addition to the people’s interests. He warned against what he called were politically covered crimes, and the violations of laws and regulations and the national pact by the force of arms and money. “As long as we still have time, let's meet and reconcile for the sake of Lebanon and its people,” al-Rahi said. [Link]