Greece condemns attack on Greek Orthodox cathedral in Lebanon

Greece condemned on Friday a hand grenade attack on the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George in Tripoli, Lebanon, in which two people were injured.

“The Greek government expresses its support for the victims of the attack and deplores any act of violence or religious intolerance aimed not only at Christian elements, but more generally at the peaceful coexistence of the faithful of all the creeds in the region,” said Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

“We express our concern at the disturbing escalation of violence in the Middle East, as well as our undivided support for the unity, the sovereignty, the stability, the independence and the territorial integrity of Lebanon,” he added.

In January, Hezbollah fighters seized several areas of Beirut, forcing the government to agree to a political deal that strengthened the group’s role in the government.

There have been clashes between Hezbollah Shiite supporters and pro-government Sunni loyalists in several Lebanese cities.