The Middle East Council of Churches condemned Israel's aggression against Lebanon and called for national unity

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) issued an official statement strongly condemning the ongoing military aggression against Lebanon and calling on the country’s citizens to maintain internal unity in the face of external threats and social divisions.

According to Orthodoxia News Agency, the organization described the Israeli army’s actions in southern Lebanon as «barbaric aggression.» The statement emphasized the inalienable right of the Lebanese people to security, dignity and life, noting that the defense of sovereignty is not limited to the defense of borders, but also requires the preservation of social harmony and the prevention of hate speech.

Of particular concern to the Council was the increase in social media insults against Lebanon’s highest Christian authority, Maronite Patriarch Beshara Boutros al-Rai. The NCBW expressed «full and unwavering solidarity» with the Patriarch, condemning the attacks by Hezbollah supporters. The organization noted that targeting discrediting spiritual leaders of such magnitude strikes a blow to the entire national and historical identity of the country.

The text of the statement also recalled that while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, it should not be turned into a tool to insult and incite discord. The Middle East Council of Churches called on politicians, journalists and civil society to rally around the idea of dialogue, emphasizing that «coexistence is not a temporary slogan but a strategic national and spiritual choice» to protect Lebanon’s future.