LEBANON: USUP President Mrad calls for national rescue front, “international community will not help us unless we unite our demands”

BETH KERKÉ (BKERKÉ), Lebanon – President of the International Syriac Union Party (USUP) Ibrahim Mrad, heading a USUP delegation on a visit to Patriarch Mor Bechara Boutros al-Raï in Beth Kerké (Bkerké), expressed his party’s full support for the roadmap for Lebanon drawn up by the Syriac Maronite Patriarch. Mor Bechara Boutros al-Raï has publicly campaigned for Lebanon’s active neutrality and an international conference on Lebanon under the auspices of the United Nations. In the meeting, USUP leader Mrad affirmed to Mor Boutros al-Raï his party’s standpoint in case that the neutrality of Lebanon and the international conference are “two national demands”. He added that the Syriac Maronite patriarchate is the true national and religious reference for all Lebanese and will always be the preserver of Lebanon when exposed to adversity and danger.

In direct criticism of Iran-proxy Hezbollah, Mrad said that the office of the Lebanese presidency is being hijacked by Hezbollah and its Iran axis, severely hindering any solution for Lebanon’s problems. The solution is not early parliamentary elections, and definitely not the formation of a government controlled by Hezbollah and its axis of corruption; “We have ended up in this miserable situation for purely political reasons, i.e., to isolate Lebanon from its Arab neighbors and from its international friends because of Hezbollah’s participation in the wars in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, its constant attacks on the Gulf countries, and its open declarations of aggression against America.”

USUP leader Mrad reiterated his party’s fundamental stance that the maintaining of pluralism and coexistence in Lebanon is the creation of a federal Lebanon. He also expressed his party’s stance to go beyond the convening of an international conference if this would result in a similar agreement as Taif. Mrad stressed the need for an international intervention under United Nations Chapter 7 as the Lebanese political quagmire threatens the peace of the Middle East and the World.

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Mrad briefed Patriarch Mor Boutros al-Raï on USUP’s work at the global level within the Beth Nahrin National Council (MUB) and that all MUB’s affiliate political parties in Europe and America are actively demanding, in all international diplomatic platforms, to return Lebanon’s sovereignty.

In a statement after the meeting with the Patriarch, Mrad expressed the necessity to establish a national rescue front, “It is not sufficient for us to only come here for the Patriarch’s blessing.” Lip service alone benefits no one. “we want to assure the Patriarch that we fully support Bkerke” and “we call for the launch of a national rescue front in line with the international community, as soon as possible, and call for intervention to save this country.” The international community will not help Lebanon unless the Lebanese are united in their demands and implementation on the ground.