Lebanon's Catholic Patriarch Rai Congratulates President-Elect Trump and Says "May the election lead to a ceasefire..."

In view of the election of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America, the Maronite Catholic Patriarch, Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, expressed in the homily of the Sunday Mass he celebrated yesterday in the church of the Patriarchate of Bkerké, the hope that this could lead to a lasting ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
"We are happy to congratulate the United States of America on the election of its new President, Donald Trump, and we personally congratulate him on his election, which we hope will bring good news for Lebanon and the region," said the Patriarch.
The hope is that Trump will "achieve a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah through diplomatic means," said the Maronite Patriarch, who also called for Lebanon to call for the election of a new President "as soon as possible" who "can lead all negotiations on Lebanon and return the country's institutions to normality."  (Agenzia Fides, 11/11/2024)
According to the AA.com.tr news site the fatalities up to Nov. 11 raised the total number of people killed in Israeli attacks in the country since October 2023 to 3,240, with 14,134 injured, the ministry said in a statement. 

The death toll of Palestinians in Gaza, is nearing 44,000 people killed with over half being women and children. (MEE)