AL-RAHI DISCUSSES WITH VISITING DELEGATIONS PREPARATIONS FOR LAUNCHING “PEACE DAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST”, SAUDI ARABIA’S DECISION TO STOP IMPORTING LEBANESE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, received in Bkirki today a delegation from the Justice and Peace Committee emanating from the Council of Catholic Bishops and Archbishops in Lebanon (APECL), who came to get his blessing regarding the preparations underway for the annual initiative related to launching the “Day of Peace in the Middle East”, during which the Catholic patriarchs will simultaneously pray for peace in this region.

The Patriarch then met with the Secretary of the Lebanese Democratic Party, Wissam Sharrouf, who conveyed the greetings of Party Chief Talal Arslan, expressing appreciation for the “great patriotic role played by His Beatitude to preserve the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon,” and affirming support for his stances with regards to fighting corruption, preserving depositors’ money, and keeping the judiciary away from all political tension.

Later, al-Rahi met with the Head of the Economic Committee at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Zahle and the Bekaa, Tony Tohme, accompanied by a delegation who briefed him on “the disastrous outcome following the decision of the Saudi Kingdom to stop importing Lebanese agricultural products.”

The delegation members asked the Patriarch “to help solve this problem that afflicted the agricultural sector in Lebanon and its people,” noting that “the concerned officials did not inform them of any new developments in this regard.”

The delegation considered that Patriarch al-Rahi remains their hope to get out of this crisis, which if lasts longer, will threaten workers in this sector with their livelihood and daily sustenance that they can hardly secure today with the deterioration of the country’s economic conditions in such a frightening manner.

Source: National News Agency