Christian Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai insisted on Sunday that only the state and its institutions can protect the Lebanese.
“We refuse to receive protection from anyone and only the state, the presidency, the institutions, the army and the security forces can protect us,” al-Rai said during a visit to Rashaya’s mufti Sheikh Ahmed al-Ladan.
The visit was part of the patriarch’s tour of the Bekaa region which he started on Friday.