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Daily Star - Lebanon
Feb 9 2009
Sfeir draws fire for wading into electoral waters
Patriarch warns victory for opposition camp would mean 'historic mistakes'
By Hussein Abdallah
Daily Star staff
Monday, February 09, 2009
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir was the target of
criticism by March 8 media and politicians over the weekend following
remarks to Al-Massira magazine in which he warned against "historic
mistakes" if the March 8 Forces win the majority of seats in the
upcoming parliamentary elections.
While Free Patriotic Movement MP Camille Khoury told Hizbullah's
Al-Manar television on Saturday that he wished Sfeir would issue a
statement denying or clarifying his comments, news reports said that
the FPM's leader, MP Michel Aoun, would respond by boycotting a
traditional Saint Maroun Mass scheduled for Monday.
However, FPM sources said on Sunday that Aoun's decision had nothing
to do with the patriarch's recent comments, adding that a number of
Aounist lawmakers would be attending the service.
Former Prime Minister Omar Karami, another March 8 politician, also
tacitly criticized Sfeir on Saturday, without naming him, urging
clerics not to interfere in politics in order to avoid criticism.
Lebanese Forces (LF) lawmaker Antoine Zahra came to the defense of the
patriarch on Sunday, accusing Karami of adopting double standards.
"Why does Karami accept intervention in politics by all other
clergymen, at all levels, starting with Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah?" he asked. "We don't accept this attack and similar attacks
by irrelevant people on our religious symbols."
Sfeir met on Sunday with the commander of Lebanese Armed Forces,
General Jean Kahwaji, who attended the regular Sunday service at
Bkirki.
In his sermon, the patriarch addressed Kahwaji, asking God to help him
in managing his duties and overcoming difficulties.
LF lawmaker George Adwan also visited Sfeir on Sunday, after which he
told reporters that the patriarch's worries were always driven by his
concern for national interests. Adwan called on all Lebanese to take
responsible decisions as they head to ballot boxes on June 7.
Asked whether a seat was reserved for him on the March 14 list in the
qada of Chouf, Adwan said that the issue had been settled a "long time
ago."
"The Lebanese Forces have reached an agreement on this issue with the
Progressive Socialist Party [PSP] and Future Movement," he said.
Adwan currently occupies one of three Maronite seats in Chouf, but he
is likely to face competition from allied candidates in the June
polls.
Future on Sunday issued a statement in response to Adwan's remarks,
stressing that none of the nominations on March 14 lists have been
settled. "All nominations are still subject to discussions and
consultations," the statement said.
Also Sunday, former President Amin Gemayel told local daily An-Nahar
that MP Michel Murr had taken the right decision by extending his hand
to the Phalange Party in the upcoming elections. "We in turn are ready
to extend our hand to any party that shares our national aspirations,"
he said.
Murr, who last week declared his candidacy atop an independent
Christian list, said that his allies in the qada of Metn were the
Phalange Party and the Armenian Tashnak Party.
Sources close to Murr and Gemayel told An-Nahar that the two veteran
politicians would meet soon.
Gemayel also defended Sfeir on Sunday, arguing that the patriarch had
the right to worry about Lebanon's destiny.
"Patriarch Sfeir does not practice politics in the narrow sense. The
Cedar Revolution of 2005 was launched on the basis of his
understanding of sovereignty," he said. "The fears expressed by the
patriarch are shared by most Lebanese."
Also Sunday, Speaker Nabih Berri said sectarian divisions represented
the real threat to national unity in Lebanon.
"The results of the upcoming elections will not threaten the fate of
the country, but sectarian divisions can shatter national unity," he
told members of his Amal Movement's women's wing. "All factions should
realize that this country can only be governed on the basis of
partnership and consensus."
On a separate front, PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt said after meeting
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serial on Sunday that he had
decided to suspend his party's participation in a committee designed
to discuss a defense strategy for Lebanon. The committee is the result
of four rounds of national talks between the country's rival leaders.
Jumblatt had previously named former military officer Sharif Fayyad as
his party's representative in the committee.
Minister of State Wael Abu Faour, also a PSP member, justified
Jumblatt's decision on Sunday, arguing that committee discussions were
only theoretical and would not be able to change the ground situation.
"This decision is not directed against the president or the national
dialogue. It is rather a belief by MP Jumblatt that the work of the
committee will have no effect on the ground," Abu Faour said.
Hizbullah's arsenal is at the heart of the national talks, which were
agreed to in last May's Doha Accords that ended an 18-month power
struggle.
Feb 9 2009
Sfeir draws fire for wading into electoral waters
Patriarch warns victory for opposition camp would mean 'historic mistakes'
By Hussein Abdallah
Daily Star staff
Monday, February 09, 2009
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir was the target of
criticism by March 8 media and politicians over the weekend following
remarks to Al-Massira magazine in which he warned against "historic
mistakes" if the March 8 Forces win the majority of seats in the
upcoming parliamentary elections.
While Free Patriotic Movement MP Camille Khoury told Hizbullah's
Al-Manar television on Saturday that he wished Sfeir would issue a
statement denying or clarifying his comments, news reports said that
the FPM's leader, MP Michel Aoun, would respond by boycotting a
traditional Saint Maroun Mass scheduled for Monday.
However, FPM sources said on Sunday that Aoun's decision had nothing
to do with the patriarch's recent comments, adding that a number of
Aounist lawmakers would be attending the service.
Former Prime Minister Omar Karami, another March 8 politician, also
tacitly criticized Sfeir on Saturday, without naming him, urging
clerics not to interfere in politics in order to avoid criticism.
Lebanese Forces (LF) lawmaker Antoine Zahra came to the defense of the
patriarch on Sunday, accusing Karami of adopting double standards.
"Why does Karami accept intervention in politics by all other
clergymen, at all levels, starting with Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah?" he asked. "We don't accept this attack and similar attacks
by irrelevant people on our religious symbols."
Sfeir met on Sunday with the commander of Lebanese Armed Forces,
General Jean Kahwaji, who attended the regular Sunday service at
Bkirki.
In his sermon, the patriarch addressed Kahwaji, asking God to help him
in managing his duties and overcoming difficulties.
LF lawmaker George Adwan also visited Sfeir on Sunday, after which he
told reporters that the patriarch's worries were always driven by his
concern for national interests. Adwan called on all Lebanese to take
responsible decisions as they head to ballot boxes on June 7.
Asked whether a seat was reserved for him on the March 14 list in the
qada of Chouf, Adwan said that the issue had been settled a "long time
ago."
"The Lebanese Forces have reached an agreement on this issue with the
Progressive Socialist Party [PSP] and Future Movement," he said.
Adwan currently occupies one of three Maronite seats in Chouf, but he
is likely to face competition from allied candidates in the June
polls.
Future on Sunday issued a statement in response to Adwan's remarks,
stressing that none of the nominations on March 14 lists have been
settled. "All nominations are still subject to discussions and
consultations," the statement said.
Also Sunday, former President Amin Gemayel told local daily An-Nahar
that MP Michel Murr had taken the right decision by extending his hand
to the Phalange Party in the upcoming elections. "We in turn are ready
to extend our hand to any party that shares our national aspirations,"
he said.
Murr, who last week declared his candidacy atop an independent
Christian list, said that his allies in the qada of Metn were the
Phalange Party and the Armenian Tashnak Party.
Sources close to Murr and Gemayel told An-Nahar that the two veteran
politicians would meet soon.
Gemayel also defended Sfeir on Sunday, arguing that the patriarch had
the right to worry about Lebanon's destiny.
"Patriarch Sfeir does not practice politics in the narrow sense. The
Cedar Revolution of 2005 was launched on the basis of his
understanding of sovereignty," he said. "The fears expressed by the
patriarch are shared by most Lebanese."
Also Sunday, Speaker Nabih Berri said sectarian divisions represented
the real threat to national unity in Lebanon.
"The results of the upcoming elections will not threaten the fate of
the country, but sectarian divisions can shatter national unity," he
told members of his Amal Movement's women's wing. "All factions should
realize that this country can only be governed on the basis of
partnership and consensus."
On a separate front, PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt said after meeting
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serial on Sunday that he had
decided to suspend his party's participation in a committee designed
to discuss a defense strategy for Lebanon. The committee is the result
of four rounds of national talks between the country's rival leaders.
Jumblatt had previously named former military officer Sharif Fayyad as
his party's representative in the committee.
Minister of State Wael Abu Faour, also a PSP member, justified
Jumblatt's decision on Sunday, arguing that committee discussions were
only theoretical and would not be able to change the ground situation.
"This decision is not directed against the president or the national
dialogue. It is rather a belief by MP Jumblatt that the work of the
committee will have no effect on the ground," Abu Faour said.
Hizbullah's arsenal is at the heart of the national talks, which were
agreed to in last May's Doha Accords that ended an 18-month power
struggle.