Maronite Patriarchate backs Lebanese sovereignty, economic reforms in Beth Kerke statement

BETH KERKE, Lebanon — Following their monthly meeting at the Patriarchal Edifice in Beth Kerke (Bkerké), presided over by Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai, the Maronite archbishops issued a statement endorsing the Lebanese state’s efforts to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (UNSCR 1701).

Adopted on 11 August 2006, UNSCR 1701 aimed to end the 2006 Lebanon War between Israel and Hezbollah. The Resolution called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) alongside an expanded UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to maintain stability. It also urged the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon, reinforced an arms embargo, and reaffirmed Lebanon’s sovereignty. While largely successful in halting large-scale conflict, tensions and occasional border clashes have continued in the years since.

They emphasized the need for the state to extend its sovereignty over all Lebanese territories and enforce arms restrictions, ensuring Lebanon becomes a zone of security, stability, and peace.

The archbishops welcomed recent government appointments, particularly those filling key Syriac Maronite positions, such as Commander of the Lebanese Army and Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon. They also urged swift negotiations between Lebanese authorities and international financial institutions to address the country’s ongoing socioeconomic crisis.

Additionally, they praised the executive branch’s initiative to operationalize Rene Mouawad Air Base (Qoleiat Airport), viewing it as a positive step toward administrative decentralization.

On the political front, the archbishops stressed the importance of fully implementing the Taif Agreement and reconsidering some of its provisions, provided that internal conflicts and political maneuvering are set aside in favor of the national interest and citizens’ welfare — a statement seen as an implicit reference to calls for abolishing political sectarianism.

Concluding their statement, the archbishops extended warm Eid al-Fitr wishes to their Muslim brethren, praying for unity, resilience, and collective efforts to ensure Lebanon’s salvation and prosperity.