Al-Rahi Calls for 'Brave' Political Initiatives to End Presidential Deadlock

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi called on the political arch-foes to take “courageous” stances before the upcoming parliamentary session aimed at electing a president.

“Holding onto personal opinions and calling on the rivals to agree with them compelled the country to fall into the trap of not electing a new head of state and to obstruct the parliament's quorum,” al-Rahi said during Sunday's sermon in his summer seat of Diman.

“Parliamentary blocs should take brave stances ahead of the September 2 session,” the Patriarch said, urging lawmakers to attend the session.

Speaker Nabih Berri adjourned on Tuesday the tenth round of parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a president to September 2 over lack of quorum caused by boycotting blocs.

The constitution states that two-thirds of parliament's 128 members should be present to have quorum.

The March 14 alliance backs Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea. But the March 8 camp refuses to officially announce its candidate despite hinting its support for Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

But Aoun, the head of the Change and Reform bloc, has said he would only announce his candidacy if there was consensus on him.

The failure to elect a president has put parliament's fate in disarray.

Concerning the patriarchs of the Orient visit to the Iraqi Kurdish region of Erbil, al-Rahi called on the international community to cooperate with the Iraqi and the Kurdish Peshmerga troops to free the towns that were controlled by the Islamic State.

He also called on the United Nations and humanitarian organizations to kick start a major new restoration project in the area so that Christians and other deported minorities would be able to return to their homes.

The Iraqi Christians advised us to “safeguard Lebanon's national unity and balance between Christians and Muslims.”

Islamic State militants in Iraq have been waging a campaign against minorities in Iraq, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

Pope Francis called Monday for collective action through the United Nations to "stop unjust aggression" in Iraq.