Lebanese ruling party: protecting Christians ‘Islamic responsibility’

By ICEJ News

28 Jul 2010

A call to save the Middle East Christian communities was issued on Monday by Lebanon’s ruling party, the Lebanese Future Movement. According to the party’s secretary-general Ahmad Hariri, he was “extremely worried about the repercussions of the Christian emigration from some Middle East countries,” adding that “nurturing the Christian presence [in the region] was an Arab and Islamic responsibility as much as it is a Christian one.” The unusual remarks by a Muslim leader come as concerns increase over the Shi’ite influence in Lebanon. “Sunnis in Lebanon, as well as the Druse and Christian populations are worried about the rise of the Shi’ite population, explained Prof. Eugene Sensenig-Dabbous, Political Science Dept. Head at Lebanon’s Notre Dame University. According to experts, the main reason for the demographic shift is Christian Arabs leaving the Middle East and a high birthrate among Arab Muslims.

Print    Tell a friend