The Maronite bishops held deliberations at their regular monthly meeting in Bkerke, chaired by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai. They called on the international community to work toward “a diplomatic solution to the war between Hezbollah and Israel, through the establishment of an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”
They also stressed “the need to prevent altercations between hosts and displaced persons by forming coordination committees in cooperation with the mohafazat, municipalities, NGOs, and military and security institutions that are ready to help in this respect.”
In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting, the Maronite bishops urged the international community to “work for a ceasefire and the implementation of Resolution 1701, to enable the displaced to return to their towns and villages.”They also called for “an end to Israeli aggressions that violate Lebanon's sovereignty in defiance of its citizens, the latest being the commando operation that resulted in the abduction of a Lebanese man from his home.”
Last Saturday in Batroun, the Israeli army kidnapped Imad Amhaz, a senior officer in the Lebanese navy, who, according to Israel, is affiliated with Hezbollah.
The Maronite bishops welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron's initiative of inviting the international community to a conference in Paris on October 24 in support of Lebanon's people and sovereignty. They also welcomed the position that "Lebanon must be rescued from its critical situation, through financial aid as well as support for the army, by financing, arming, training, and equipping it to assume its sovereign responsibilities over the whole of Lebanese territory.”
In addition, the bishops called on “those in charge of the education sector to cooperate positively,” hoping that “the Ministry of Education will set up a specialized central committee representing private and public schools to develop a clear mechanism of action to save the school year for all pupils.”
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