Beirut – Just hours before his murder, he had reaffirmed his firm resolve – his own and that of his community – not to abandon his village to the maelstrom of the war tearing through the Middle East. The Maronite priest, Pierre El-Rahi, died this Monday after being wounded by artillery fire from the Israeli army, which had once again invaded southern Lebanon with the stated aim of eliminating any remaining presence of militias and structures belonging to the Shiite Hezbollah party in the region.
According to consistent accounts of the events, an Israeli Merkava tank opened fire on a house outside the village of Qlayaa at around 2 p.m. local time, believing that Hezbollah fighters were hiding there. The homeowner, Clovis Boutros, and his wife were wounded. When Father El-Rahi arrived at the house with five other men to assess the impact of the first shell on people and property, another shell struck the house, also wounding the priest and his companions. The wounded were taken to the Marjayoun State Hospital by teams from the Lebanese Red Cross. Father Pierre, who had suffered a severe leg injury, succumbed to his wounds and died in the hospital.
Father Pierre El-Rahi was firmly committed to the decision of the local Christians not to leave their villages, which had once again been caught in the maelstrom of war. He personally oversaw the rationed distribution of essential supplies to the families. Last Friday, he had participated in a demonstration organized by the residents of Marjayoun, where they all reaffirmed their intention to remain in their villages, despite the Israeli army’s orders for residents of the area south of the Litani.
Less than two hours before his death, Father El-Rahi had a telephone conversation with Carmelite Father Michel Abboud as part of a program broadcast by TeleLumiere. “This land has enormous significance for us,” Father El-Rahi explained. “Our ancestors paid with their blood to protect it. The children of this land have faced and overcome many challenges for decades.” The murdered priest responded cautiously to Father Abboud’s questions: “You said that I encouraged others with my presence, but they are the ones who encouraged me. The decision not to leave Qlayaa was the right one; we are saving our land and our homes from destruction. This message applies not only to us but to the entire region… otherwise, the hope of returning would be lost… We are staying… and guarantees and assurances come only from the Lord… and our patron saint is Saint George, knight and hero… may he help us strengthen our faith, may he protect us.”
Now the war is once again spreading death and pain across Lebanon, fueling fear, suspicion, and mistrust. Even in Christian-inhabited areas, blockades are being organized to prevent unknown individuals and groups from “infiltrating” those areas, potential targets of Israeli army attacks.
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