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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 531

Maronite Christians

Newly-elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sits at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, January 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
January 9, 2025, 9:05 pm
Lebanon’s Aoun described as ‘dedicated’ army man with ‘national interest at heart’
Widely seen as US, Saudi Arabia’s first choice, the 61-year-old general has forged relations across Lebanon’s sectarian divides but is often criticized by Hezbollah affiliates
By AFP
A member of the Kurdish Internal Security Force known as Asayesh stands guard during a protest against the Turkish military offensive in northeastern Syria, in the town of Qamishli on October 23, 2019. (Delil Souleiman/AFP)
December 31, 2024, 10:53 pm
As Iran’s network of proxies withers, Israel has an opening to revive its own
Tehran dominated much of the region through loyal armed groups; burned by Lebanon trauma, Israel moved away from that approach, but now leaders talk of alliances with minorities
By Lazar Berman
Lebanese MP Gebran Bassil attends the 12th parliamentary session to elect a new president in the capital Beirut's downtown district on June 14, 2023 amid bitter divisions between the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah and its opponents. (ANWAR AMRO / AFP)
December 10, 2024, 3:13 pm
Senior Maronite politician: Hezbollah must focus on Lebanon, not wider region
Gebran Bassil says Iran-backed terror group must accept that it is part of the Lebanese state, and not parallel to it
By Reuters and ToI Staff
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai speaks during the funeral mass of Pascale Suleiman, a member of the Lebanese Forces Christian party, in Byblos town, north of Beirut, Lebanon, April 12, 2024 (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
September 23, 2024, 4:02 pm
As Hezbollah pummels north, Lebanon’s Christians divided on support for terror group
Since Oct. 8, the head of the Maronite church has denounced attempts to drag Lebanon into war. While he is a lodestar for many, others have pledged allegiance to Hezbollah
By Gianluca Pacchiani
Teenagers hang out outside a computer store in Jish on August 5, 2024. (Canaan Lidor/Times of Israel)
August 7, 2024, 10:53 am
In Jish, an indigenous Christian minority defiantly stays in Hezbollah’s crosshairs
Instead of fleeing the Galilee, hundreds of Zionist Arameans are digging in as they brace for a major escalation
By Canaan Lidor
Maronite Christians attend a Good Friday procession in Haifa on March 29, 2024. (Canaan Lidor/Times of Israel)
March 31, 2024, 5:04 pm
Haifa Christians stage solemn Good Friday march in Hezbollah’s crosshairs
The threat of rockets has caused northern worshipers to alter their plans on a holiday weekend that they are nonetheless determined to observe
By Canaan Lidor
A Maronite Christian center in Ma'alot-Tarshiha was vandalized during the festive period, January 11, 2022. (Michel El Khouri)
January 12, 2023, 9:11 pm
Vandalism discovered at Maronite Christian community center in north
Recently revamped building in city of Ma’alot-Tarshiha had religious items smashed, equipment broken over Christmas period; Maronite leader says ‘everything is destroyed’
By Ash Obel
Lebanese president Michel Aoun, left, meets with Lebanese Maronite archbishop Moussa el-Hajj, at the presidential palace, in Baabda east of Beirut, Lebanon, July 22, 2022. (Dalati Nohra via AP)
August 3, 2022, 4:42 pm
Archbishop carrying bags with $460,000 from Israel sparks sectarian brawl in Lebanon
Moussa el-Hajj, a senior member of Maronite Church, stopped at border with money and medicines stuffed in 20 suitcases; Hezbollah accuses him of normalization with Jewish state
By Agencies
A panel at the International Committee of the United Nations Resolutions for Lebanon Conference in Harissa, Lebanon, April 23, 2022. (Courtesy)
April 28, 2022, 5:21 pm
At Lebanon multi-religious conference, calls to repeal ban on contacts with Israelis
Speakers at confab hosted by Maronite Christian sect’s chief cleric push for Lebanese neutrality rather than close alliance with Iran
By ToI Staff
Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces group, right, shakes hands with Sleiman Frangieh of the Marada Party, left, as they stand next to the Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara al-Rai, at the Maronite church in Bkirki, northeast of Beirut, Lebanon, November 14, 2018. (Aldo Ayoub/Lebanese Forces media office via AP)
November 14, 2018, 11:55 pm
Lebanese civil war rivals end decades of hostility sparked by massacre
Leaders of the Lebanese Forces group and the Marada Party – both presidential hopefuls – shake hands, embrace at church-sponsored meeting
By AP
Mary Iskandar, 50, a Lebanese housewife, is overcome by emotion, as she raises a picture of Maronite Naamatallah Kassab Hardini, left, and St. Charbel Makhlouf, Lebanon's first Maronite cleric to be canonized by the Vatican, in 1977, as Pope John Paul II, proclaims Hardini a saint of the Catholic Church at a ceremony at the Vatican on May 16, 2004. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)
November 2, 2017, 1:24 pm
With the PA’s help, Israeli Christians quietly make pilgrimages to Lebanon
Though the countries are still in a state of war, Palestinian travel documents allow worshipers to visit Catholic holy sites across the northern border
By ToI Staff
France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen (C) reacts upon being handed a headscarf ahead of her meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, in the capital Beirut on February 21, 2017. (AFP Photo/Anwar Amro)
February 21, 2017, 7:37 pm
In Lebanon, Le Pen refuses to wear headscarf to meet top cleric
Far-right French presidential candidate stirs controversy during Middle East visit; ‘No one presents me with a fait accompli,’ she says
By Guillaume DAUDIN
Egypt's Grand Imam of al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed al-Tayeb (R) receives Lebanese President Michel Aoun at his office in Cairo on February 13, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI
February 13, 2017, 5:27 pm
Lebanese president: Hezbollah needed to counter Israel
Long-time Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun says Iran’s support for terror group could ‘continue indefinitely’
By Agencies
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri waves to journalists, shown before his election upon his arrival to the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, October 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
November 1, 2016, 11:57 pm
After Aoun deal, Lebanon’s two major parties back Hariri for PM
Sunni leader was promised prime minister’s job in return for supporting ex-general and Hezbollah ally as president
By AP and ToI Staff
A worker hangs a billboard showing Christian leader Michel Aoun with Arabic that reads "For all Lebanon," in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Sunday, October 30, 2016. for President Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
October 31, 2016, 3:00 pm
Hezbollah ally Aoun elected Lebanese president, ending stalemate
Vote for former general, after two-years of fighting, seen as boost for terror group and Syrian President Assad
By AFP
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