An-Nahar newspaper quoted a prominent US official on Sunday as saying that Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai’s statements on Syria are “reckless and unjustifiable.”
 
The official condemned the patriarch’s concern that the uprising would bring to power a radical Islamic movement, saying that “these allegations represent the propaganda led by the Syrian regime.”
 
The source also characterized the patriarch’s statements in support of Hezbollah’s weapons as a “blessing” for these weapons to remain with Hezbollah indefinitely.
 
The source also assumed that the upcoming visit of Rai to the US will be pastoral, implicating that prominent US officials may not meet with him.
 
On Thursday, Rai said that “the international community must help liberate the land [occupied by Israel] and [achieve] the Palestinians’ right of return. Then, we will tell Hezbollah to hand over its weapons because they will no longer be needed.”
 
Rai also said that Assad is “open-minded” and should be given more chances to implement the reforms he already announced.