Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awad Assiri regretted “the swift criticism launched by some parties over the Islamic coalition against terrorism while misunderstanding its goals and rushing to make analyses and hypothetical scenarios not related to reality.”
In a statement he issued on Friday, Assiri said that “no one can dictate the decisions of the Kingdom,” noting that some parties are involving themselves in suspicious projects aiming at fragmenting the countries of the region, breaking Arab unity and inciting sectarian strife.
“Lebanon is among the countries suffering from terror and fighting against it,” he noted, adding that fighting terrorism can come in different forms, among which the military force.
“Is it rational that Lebanon abandons this coalition that constitutes an element of force in the fight against terror? And for whose benefit?” the ambassador asked.
In this context, Assiri stressed that Saudi Arabia respects Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence.
“Those who criticized the Kingdom’s decision are the ones accused by the Lebanese public opinion of being involved in violating national sovereignty,” he stated.