The Supreme Islamic Sharia Council condemned “the persistence in insulting Lebanon, state, people, and role, to the point of attempting to detach it of its Arab identity, distorting and tampering with this identity, through deliberate and repeated abuse of its brothers in the one Arab family who stood with it.”

The statement added: “We warn of the devastating effects of this immoral, disloyal, and anti-Arab attitude, as well as the danger of continuing with this destructive approach to brotherly and friendly relations.”

He continued, “Arab affiliation and the Arab system of interest is the preservation of Lebanon, and ignoring it is a major national betrayal.”