Bishop: Lebanon's presidential vacuum could stir religious conflicts

Published: 2007-11-26

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) -- Lebanon's lack of a president could stir religious conflicts in the Middle East and affect Christians' role in the country, said a Lebanese bishop. Maronite Bishop Bechara Rai of Jbeil told Catholic News Service that "the danger of the vacuum of the presidency is that it would lead to an absence of the Christian role in Lebanon, so that the actual conflict between the Shiites and Sunnis will continue as a consequence of the war in Iraq. In fact, this conflict aims to determine who will rule the policy in Lebanon. All this will threaten the security of Lebanon and stir up the confessional conflicts in the Middle East," said Bishop Rai. "The second danger, if the vacuum persists," said the bishop, "is it will empty the presidency of its value and active role in the Lebanese political system and again marginalize the role of the Christians in general and especially Maronite Catholics." Lebanon's parliament failed to elect a successor to President Emile Lahoud before he stepped down at midnight Nov. 23, just hours after he announced the transfer of security responsibilities to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

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