Christian Front in Lebanon warns of suspicious projects submitted to Syriac Maronite Patriarchate  

ACHRAFIEH, Lebanon — The Christian Front in Lebanon criticized a document presented by the Identity and Sovereignty Meeting Association to Syriac Patriarch Mor Bechara Butros al-Rai, denouncing it for containing significant national inaccuracies that threaten the remaining free Christian presence in Lebanon.

During its weekly meeting at its headquarters in the Achrafieh neighborhood of Beirut, the Front emphasized that the document advocates for the establishment of a civil state, which it deems unnecessary as Lebanon already operates as a civil state. Governance, it stressed, is neither military-controlled nor theocratic.

The Front highlighted that the push for a civil state is championed by Shiite factions to obstruct demands for a secular state, thereby preventing movements like Hezbollah from transforming Lebanon into a theocratic religious state.

Additionally, the Front objected to the document’s proposal to disrupt the Christian-Muslim parliamentary parity not addressed by the Taif Agreement, which only abolished parity in public positions from the 5th to the 2nd categories.

Rejecting the document’s call to abolish political sectarianism and elect the president directly from the people, the Front argued that such actions would risk Islamizing public roles, including the presidency.

The Front argued that the document’s propositions are more detrimental than the Taif Agreement, which aimed to remove Christian influence from state institutions under the guise of eliminating parity.

Representing diverse segments of the Christian community, the Front cautioned against advancing such document proposals. It urged the patriarch to carefully consider the implications of measures against the Christian presence, advocating instead for initiatives that protect Christians and Lebanese citizens, such as enforcing UN Security Council Resolution No. 1559 and advocating for federalism to safeguard the rights of all ethnic groups.