The violent attacks launched Monday evening against Saudi Arabia by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah provoked an outcry on Tuesday among part of the Lebanese political class. President Michel Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s will to maintain good relations with Riyadh, departing from the words of the leader of the pro-Iranian Shiite party.
With our correspondent in Beirut, Paul Khalifeh
Accused Monday evening of all the evils by the secretary general of Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia has found itself fervent defenders within the Lebanese political class.
Hassan Nasrallah’s violent charge comes as the government tries to resolve the diplomatic crisis that erupted in October with the Gulf countries after comments by the former information minister criticizing the Yemen war.
In the meantime, Minister Georges Cordahi resigned but the crisis persisted despite mediation by Emmanuel Macron with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Ben Salman.
Prime Minister Nagib Mikati reacted quickly by saying that the words of Hassan Nasrallah, who accused Riyadh, among others, of promoting terrorism, “ do not represent the position of the Lebanese government “.
This Tuesday, many mainly Sunni political figures took turns criticizing the head of Hezbollah, accused of compromising Lebanon’s relations with the Gulf States.
The Minister of the Interior ordered the police to remove the banners attacking the leaders of the kingdom which appeared in the streets after the words of Hassan Nasrallah.
But it is not certain that these measures and these pleas in favor of Saudi Arabia will calm the anger of Riyadh, which demands the political isolation of Hezbollah in Lebanon. A request difficult to satisfy by the Lebanese authorities.