Syriac Maronite Patriarch al-Raï praises Saudi Arabia for providing humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people

BKERKE, Lebanon – Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mor Béchara Boutros Al-Raï has praised Saudi Arabia’s commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people, its army, and internal security forces. The renewed Saudi Arabian aid comes after French and American ambassadors Anne Grillo and Dorothy Shea paid an unusual diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia.

His Holiness Mor Béchara expressed his praise for the aid on the occasion of the centenary of official relations between Saudi Arabia and the Syriac Maronite Church,.

With a wink to Iran and Syria, Mor Mor Béchara said during the celebration held on this occasion, that Saudi Arabia has never threatened the sovereignty of Lebanon nor violated its independence. It did not violate its borders, involved the country in wars, or disrupt its democracy. Rather, it supported Lebanon in Arab and international forums and provided it with financial aid; “Saudi Arabia was receiving many Lebanese, and providing Lebanese with residence and job opportunities.” The Syriac Maronite hierarch said Saudi Arabia has always wanted for Lebanon to remain neutral and ensure its sovereignty and independence.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid al-Bukhari called at the celebration on all Lebanese politicians to give the utmost priority to serving the interests of the Lebanese people and break the political deadlock. The challenges Lebanon is experiencing are mounting and there is no room for further division.

Syriac Maronite President Michel Aoun (Free Patriotic Movement) and Sunni Saad Hariri (Future Movement) have been in a blame game for months now, each blaming the other of obstruction and stalling the formation of a new government. Saudi Arabia is a long time partner of the Hariri family. Michel Aoun works together with Iran proxy Hezbollah.

كلمة #البطريرك_الراعي في إطلاق كتاب الأباتي أنطوان ضو: علاقة البطريركيّة المارونيّة بالمملكة العربيّة السعوديّة
الخميس 8 تمّوز 2021https://t.co/VbOgENknmC#البطريركية_المارونية #شركة_ومحبة #حياد_لبنان #لبنان_الكبير #الراعي #بكركي #معا_من_أجل_لبنان pic.twitter.com/XgghKKKgFp

— البطريركية المارونية Maronite Patriarchate (@bkerki) July 8, 2021