A Christian-Muslim spiritual summit took place in Bkerke, initiated by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi. The summit gathered Lebanon’s leading Christian and Muslim spiritual figures, demonstrating solidarity in the face of the ongoing crisis in Lebanon and the broader region. The participants issued a unified statement condemning the violence and emphasized the importance of national unity, constitutional reform, and the defense of Lebanon's sovereignty.
Among the attendees were Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, Vice President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, Druze Community Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna, and other senior religious leaders representing the Armenian Orthodox, Syriac Catholic, and Protestant communities, among others.
Condemnation of Israeli Aggression
The statement issued by the summit participants unequivocally condemned Israel’s "brutal and savage" aggression against Lebanon and Gaza. It highlighted Israel’s complete disregard for international treaties, human rights, and United Nations resolutions, as well as the destruction and mass killings carried out amid the silence of the international community. The religious leaders decried the unprecedented destruction of homes, hospitals, places of worship, and vital civilian infrastructure, with special mention of the tragic loss of innocent lives, particularly among women, children, and the elderly.
This devastation, they emphasized, represents one of the darkest chapters in modern history, both for the atrocities committed and for the global community’s failure to act. The summit called for urgent and decisive international intervention to put an end to this violence, starting with an immediate ceasefire.
A Unified Call for National Salvation
In addition to denouncing Israel’s aggression, the summit focused on the need for national unity. The spiritual leaders urged the Lebanese people to come together, recognizing that the Israeli assault targets the entire nation and threatens its very survival. They emphasized that Lebanon’s strength lies in its unity, with the statement asserting that “the future of Lebanon must be built on national solutions rooted in the Lebanese Constitution, the Taif Agreement, and the authority of the state.”