Beirut scrambles to mend ties with Saudi Arabia after Riyadh expels Lebanese envoy & bans imports — RT World News

Riyadh recalled the ambassador of Lebanon to the country for consultations. The Lebanese envoy was given 48 hours notice to leave the country on Friday. This is after comments made by the Lebanese information Minister, criticizing the Saudi-led intervention into Yemen, offended Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States.

George Kordahi, a former host of the game show and now minister, stated that Houthi militants have taken over Yemen. “defending themselves… against an external aggression.” His words triggered a scandal, as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain summoned Lebanese ambassadors over the minister’s words.

Massnews.com also available
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry summons Lebanon’s ambassador over criticism of Saudi Arabia & UAE in Yemen conflict

Riyadh condemned the remarks of the minister “offensive”And “insulting”It also accused him “bias” in favor of the Houthis. According to the UAE, his “disgraceful”Comments “offended”Members of the Saudi coalition. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes the above-mentioned countries as well as Qatar and Oman, also condemned Kordahi’s remarks.

Kordahi ran to state that his statements were personal opinions and added that they were made just before he was appointed minister. This apparently didn’t resolve the issue, since Riyadh on Friday banned all Lebanese exports.

Najib Mikati was the prime minister of Lebanese, and he stated Friday that he “regretted” the Saudi actions and called on “brotherly Arab leaders to work and help to overcome this crisis in order to preserve Arab cohesion.”Kordahi also was recalled by the president to take part in making “the right” decision to preserve Lebanon’s national interests, although he did not elaborate on what exactly needs to be done.

Massnews.com also available
UN votes in favor of ending war crimes in Yemen.

According to Reuters, Riyadh might be pressuring Beirut to force Kordahi’s resignation. Abdullah Bou Habib, Lebanon’s foreign minister, said Friday that he formed a team to end the diplomatic dispute. However, Reuters claims it is not. “crisis”Dialog can be used to ease tensions.

Former PM of Lebanon Saad Hariri blasted Hezbollah in the current crisis. He accuses both political parties and military groups of professing support for Hezbollah. “hostility towards the Arabs and the Arab Gulf states.” The Shiite movement praised Kordahi’s words in a statement on Thursday.

Hezbollah was attacked also by the Saudi state media agency SPA on Friday, claiming that its influence is a matter of grave concern. “on the decision-making of the Lebanese state made Lebanon an arena for implementing projects for countries that don’t wish Lebanon and its people well.”

The Houthis – also known by their formal party title, Ansar Allah – seized the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in 2014 and ousted the Saudi-backed President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who came to power on a one-man ballot following the decades-long rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis repeatedly of being Iranian proxy and began an air and ground campaign to bring Hadi back to power in March 2015. This was with support from Jordan, Kuwait and Egypt as well as several other countries who have since left the conflict.

According to United Nations data as of December 2020, the war has so far claimed more than 230,000 lives – the vast majority Yemenis – and resulted in a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe in what was already among the poorest nations in the Arab world. It has been extremely difficult to keep track of casualties throughout conflict. However, many hospitals that can provide these data have been destroyed. In 2017, the New York Times reported that 65% of the country’s medical facilities had been bombed.

UNICEF reported earlier this month that approximately 10,000 children in Yemen were injured or killed since the Saudi-led intervention began. UN organizations also forecast that as many as 400,000 children could be starved to death due to hunger caused in large part through the conflict. UN has repeatedly criticized the coalition for using indiscriminate strikes on civilian infrastructure to cause non-combatant casualties.

Massnews.com also available
‘Shameful milestone’: 10,000 Yemeni children killed or maimed in violence since 2015 – UNICEF

You think your friends might be interested in this story? Tell your friends!