Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated on Wednesday that one cannot boast of his power if he lives in closed security zones.

Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated on Wednesday that one cannot boast of his power if he lives in closed security zones.

He said: “Administrative, judicial and military institutions alone can protect citizens.”

He made his statements at a dinner banquet thrown in his honor in Houston, Texas as part of his ongoing tour of the United States.

“One cannot boast of his power by standing before a crowd and accusing the other of treason,” he continued.

“Many figures in Lebanon don’t see past their own noses and they only work to achieve their petty interests, which is unacceptable in our world,” the patriarch stressed.

“No one is above his country’s institutions as they alone ensure the citizens’ rights,” al-Rahi stated.