Lebanese Maronite Priest Monsignor Camille Moubarak: Turkey Is Our Number One Enemy And Would Skin Us Alive If It Could; Christians In Lebanon Must Arm Themselves Again

Lebanese Maronite priest Monsignor Camille Moubarak called for a Lebanese boycott of Turkey, which he described as "our number one enemy." Moubarak was interviewed by Sawt Beirut International (Lebanon) Radio on January 3, 2021. He said that he would choose Iran and Saudi Arabia over Turkey, which "ruled us for 400 years, and if it were given the chance to continue to skin us alive to this day, it wouldn't say no." He called for a boycott of Turkish products and said that Lebanese people should not travel to Turkey. Monsignor Moubarak added that Christians in Lebanon must arm themselves again because “when someone attacks you with a gun, you must respond with a gun." For more information about Monsignor Moubarak, see MEMRI TV clip No.8485.

Interviewer: "Between Iran and Turkey..."

Monsignor Camille Moubarak: "Iran!"

Interviewer: "Where will a Christian feel more comfortable?"

Moubarak: "Iran! Iran! Iran! Why? Let me say this once again: Iran! Because Turkey ruled us for 400 years, and if it were given the chance to continue to skin us alive to this day, it wouldn't say no. To this day.

Interviewer: "What about Iran?"

Moubarak: "It still hasn't skinned us alive. Maybe it will, but in the meanwhile, we cannot say that it has."

Interviewer: "What will the pro-Iranian Muslims in Lebanon feel when they hear you say this?"

Moubarak: "What do you mean? They will applaud me."

Interviewer: "Sorry, I mean to pro-Turkey Muslims..."

Moubarak: "They are free to get mad at me. I am saying what I believe. I am not trying to please people. Turkey ruled us for 400 years. Jamal Pasha made us starve to death. I will not forgive him for this even if I live to the age of 1,000."

Interviewer: "The Muslims also say..."

Moubarak: "I call for the boycott of Turkey. I call to boycott Turkish products..."

Interviewer: "Woah..."

Moubarak: "I call on people not to travel to Turkey."

[...]

Interviewer: "If you had to choose between Turkey and Saudi Arabia?"

Moubarak: "Saudi Arabia."

Interviewer: "Why?"

Moubarak: "Because it is yet to slaughter us. I view Turkey as our number one enemy.

[...]

"[Christians in Lebanon] cannot remain peaceful in the face of people who pounce on them. When someone attacks you with a gun, you must respond with a gun."

Interviewer: "Were you in favor of the Lebaense Forces giving up their weapons?"

Moubarak: "Absolutely not."

Interviewer: "Do you support arming the Lebanese Forces again today?"

Moubarak: "Yes."

Interviewer: "You are calling for a civil war..."

Moubarak: "Not true. In political science, there is a saying: If you want peace, prepare for war.

[...]

"[People believed] only Bachir Gemayel could remove Arafat's boot off their back."

Interviewer: "Arafat's boot in Lebanon was worse than the Israeli boot?"

Moubarak: "Arafat wanted to take over Lebanon."

Interviewer: "And the Israelis?"

Moubarak: "Maybe they wanted to take a piece of it, but Arafat wanted all of it."