REPORT: Delegations expressing solidarity with KSA visit embassy

Political figures and delegations continued on Thursday to flock into the Saudi embassy in Beirut, voicing solidarity with Saudi Arabia after the tensions that arose between both countries.

 

For his part, Social Affairs Minister Rachid Derbass said that the statement issued by the Lebanese government garnered a unanimous agreement and was drafted without any reservations.

 

Kuwait and Qatar on Wednesday became the latest Arab countries to follow in Saudi Arabia's footsteps by urging their citizens already in Lebanon to leave and issuing a travel warning for nationals planning to visit there.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, all member-states of the tight-knit Gulf Cooperation Council have called for their citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon.

The move comes days after Saudi Arabia cut $4 billion in aid to Lebanese security forces in retaliation for Lebanon siding with Iran in the Sunni kingdom's proxy wars with the Shiite power.

Lebanon is home to the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

The Saudi decision came after the Lebanese Foreign Minister, Gebran Bassil, an ally of Hezbollah, declined to support Saudi resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers.

The spat is inflaming tensions in Lebanon between the pro-Saudi and pro-Hezbollah camp in Lebanon.

On Wednesday, pro-Saudi politicians and other well-wishers flocked to the Saudi Embassy in Beirut to express solidarity with Saudi Arabia.