...an Iranian colony situated on the eastern Mediterranean, conveniently adjacent to Israel. Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects. The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozeen flavors of Christians. It is the home of Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade. The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...’s politicians for failing to form a new cabinet, accusing them of sharing a common interest in obstructing any political agreement to resolve the deepening crisis and of starving the Lebanese people.
He said the leaders have proven to everyone in Lebanon and the world that they do not want to form a new government.
"They have a common interest, which is obstruction and bringing the people to their knees for no reason, by starving, humiliating and impoverishing them and stripping hope from their hearts," Rai said during a Mass service held at Bkirki on Sunday.
The patriarch stressed that the formation of a new government is a top priority.
"A fully empowered government is the key to resolving the rest of the basic issues, whether in terms of reforms or political, security or economic and social issues," he explained.
Rai said the government is required to strengthen its capacity and move away from any tutelage that limits aid from donor countries, and to work on returning looted funds and expediting the implementation of the reform plan that would help the people.
"Without a government, divisions would deepen and state authority that safeguards Lebanon would be undermined," he warned.
Addressing officials, he said: "Positive work demands the formation of a government for the sake of the people. You should be ashamed before the Arab and international communities and before Arab and foreign visitors."
He also called for a "serious, not a selective, forensic audit, which cannot take place without the formation of a government."