Ibrahim Mrad, President Of Lebanese Syriac Union Party: We Should Have The Courage To Say That We Want A Culture Of Peace With Israel And Anyone Else; We Don't Want Our Children To Have To Bear Arms Like We Did

In a December 23, 2024 interview, Ibrahim Mrad, president of the Lebanese Syriac Union Party, stated that the Lebanese people must have the courage to embrace a culture of peace. He emphasized that anyone who wishes to liberate Jerusalem or other places should do so outside of Lebanon. Mrad further asserted that the Lebanese people do not want their children to bear arms and defend themselves, as they were forced to do in the past. He recalled Lebanon’s neutral policy in the 1960s, which earned the country the title of the "Switzerland of the East," with the Lebanese president being received abroad like royalty. He stated: "I support peace with Israel and with anyone else."

Ibrahim Mrad: "The problem is that every ten years, a new gang is hatched here, and they say that they want to liberate Jerusalem and liberate Al-Aqsa..."

Interviewer: "They come up with some ideology..."

Mrad: "Yes, excuse me for saying this, but it is either a Shi'ite gang that answers to the Jurisprudent Ruler, or a Sunni gang that answers to Hamas or whoever. They say that they want to liberate Jerusalem, but they bring war upon you. We should have the courage to say that we want to cement the culture of peace between countries and people, and whoever wants to liberate places can go do it outside of Lebanon. We have the right... We do not have to have our children bear arms like we did, and have to defend themselves, their street, neighborhood, or building."

Interviewer: "So you support Lebanon being neutral."

Mrad: "Of course. When Lebanon maintained a policy of neutrality, in the 1960s, it was the 'Switzerland of the East'. When the Lebanese president would travel abroad, he would be received like a king. Lebanon would be taken into consideration. Lebanon used to lend money to the superpowers."

[...]

Interviewer: "Do you support a Lebanese peace [treaty] with Israel, or should Lebanon be the last Arab country to sign peace?"

Mrad: "First of all, I have reservations about the term 'last Arab country'. Lebanon is a pluralistic country, and the [Arab] identity was imposed on us at gunpoint in the Taif [Agreement]. Lebanon is, and will remain a pluralistic country, with all due respect to pan-Arabism, and all the other nationalities.  Why should we always wait for others? Always get a beating on behalf of others?

"All the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, are signing normalization agreements. Saudi Arabia still hasn't signed it, because Hamas destroyed the agreement at the behest of Iran and Turkey. Erdogan also played a role in what happened with Hamas. Bashar Al-Assad and his regime had secret meetings [with Israel]. Why should we in Lebanon always get a beating on behalf of others? No. I support peace with Israel and with anyone else."

In a December 23, 2024 interview, Ibrahim Mrad, president of the Lebanese Syriac Union Party, stated that the Lebanese people must have the courage to embrace a culture of peace. He emphasized that anyone who wishes to liberate Jerusalem or other places should do so outside of Lebanon. Mrad further asserted that the Lebanese people do not want their children to bear arms and defend themselves, as they were forced to do in the past. He recalled Lebanon’s neutral policy in the 1960s, which earned the country the title of the "Switzerland of the East," with the Lebanese president being received abroad like royalty. He stated: "I support peace with Israel and with anyone else."

Ibrahim Mrad: "The problem is that every ten years, a new gang is hatched here, and they say that they want to liberate Jerusalem and liberate Al-Aqsa..."

Interviewer: "They come up with some ideology..."

Mrad: "Yes, excuse me for saying this, but it is either a Shi'ite gang that answers to the Jurisprudent Ruler, or a Sunni gang that answers to Hamas or whoever. They say that they want to liberate Jerusalem, but they bring war upon you. We should have the courage to say that we want to cement the culture of peace between countries and people, and whoever wants to liberate places can go do it outside of Lebanon. We have the right... We do not have to have our children bear arms like we did, and have to defend themselves, their street, neighborhood, or building."

Interviewer: "So you support Lebanon being neutral."

Mrad: "Of course. When Lebanon maintained a policy of neutrality, in the 1960s, it was the 'Switzerland of the East'. When the Lebanese president would travel abroad, he would be received like a king. Lebanon would be taken into consideration. Lebanon used to lend money to the superpowers."

[...]

Interviewer: "Do you support a Lebanese peace [treaty] with Israel, or should Lebanon be the last Arab country to sign peace?"

Mrad: "First of all, I have reservations about the term 'last Arab country'. Lebanon is a pluralistic country, and the [Arab] identity was imposed on us at gunpoint in the Taif [Agreement]. Lebanon is, and will remain a pluralistic country, with all due respect to pan-Arabism, and all the other nationalities.  Why should we always wait for others? Always get a beating on behalf of others?

"All the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, are signing normalization agreements. Saudi Arabia still hasn't signed it, because Hamas destroyed the agreement at the behest of Iran and Turkey. Erdogan also played a role in what happened with Hamas. Bashar Al-Assad and his regime had secret meetings [with Israel]. Why should we in Lebanon always get a beating on behalf of others? No. I support peace with Israel and with anyone else."