Saudi aid suspension triggers chain of reactions

3^min

March 14 figures blamed on Friday Hezbollah and Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil over Saudi Arabia's decision to suspend a $3billion aid package for the Lebanese army.

This comes as the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Hezbollah for Lebanon’s losing billions of US dollars as a result of its attack on Saudi Arabia.

Geagea said via his Twitter account that "the Lebanese government must officially ask Hezbollah not to attack the kingdom."

He also suggested that an official Lebanese delegation would be formed to pay Saudi Arabia a visit to urge it to reconsider its decision.

Meanwhile, MP Marwan Hamadeh called for the resignation of the government to protest the performance of FM Bassil, which damaged Lebanon’s interests.

For his part, Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri expressed his understanding of Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend grants to the Lebanese army.

“We fully understand KSA’s decision and we call on its leadership to act as a big brother towards Lebanon's suffering,” he added.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam urged the kingdom to reconsider its decision, adding, however, that the step is a Saudi affair.

In turn, Arab Tawhid Party leader Wiam Wahhab also commented on this issue.

“Saudi Arabia halted the arms deal for the Lebanese army and the Internal Security Forces and replaced it with [Future Movement leader Saad] Hariri’s creative ideas,” Wahhab said via his Twitter account.

Wahab concluded by saying: “Iran is ready to provide all army’s needs.”

This as Hezbollah said in a statement that the Saudi step was not surprising at all, adding that holding the party responsible for such a decision is a failed attempt that no sane person can believe.

On the other hand, The United Arab Emirates expressed its “full support” for Saudi Arabia's decision on reviewing diplomatic ties with Lebanon and halting military aid to the Lebanese army.

Saudi Arabia's state-run news agency said earlier on Friday that the kingdom is halting $3 billion arms deal with Lebanon as a response to Beirut's failure to condemn attacks on the kingdom's missions in Iran.

Riyadh says it would also halt a $1 billion deal to equip Lebanese police.

The decision came after Bassil declined to support Saudi resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers.

LBCI/REUTERS