Thaw in Saudi-Lebanon ties
beirut — Saudi Arabia will appoint a new ambassador to Lebanon, encourage the return of Saudi tourists and increase flights there by Saudi airlines, the Lebanese president’s office said, in a sign of improved bilateral ties.
Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer Al Sabhan informed President Michel Aoun of the changes when they met at the Presidential Palace on Monday, Aoun’s office said in a statement. Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador left Beirut last summer, and the post has been vacant since. —
The Saudi decision to name a new ambassador to Lebanon confirms that ties between the countries are on the upswing though Hezbollah continues to wield power in President Michel Aoun’s government of convenience. Aoun’s policies towards its neighbours, and Saudi Arabia in particular, are driven more by pragmatism than by ideology, which is refreshing. It’s a positive sign as Beirut cannot afford to be torn apart by sectarian divisions. Aoun came to power with Hezbollah’s support, and the group’s truck with Iran is well known. The organisation led by Hassan Nasrallah and its militia hold sway over the country and the direction the government will take, but the new president appears to be getting a free hand for the sake of the economy that is in tatters after Saudi and other Gulf countries deserted it last year. Riyadh even cancelled a $3 billion fund to Beirut in 2016. Tourists stopped heading to the Mediterranean country for fear of violence breaking out at any moment.
In President Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the country may have struck a political balance. An arrangement for the sake of the economy. Iran is busy rebuilding after years of sanctions and has no cash to spare for the tiny country and its proxy group. Hariri is believed to be close to Saudi Arabia that is jostling for influence with Iran in the region, while Aoun, who is backed by Hezbollah, could be considered close to Tehran. But Aoun visited Riyadh last month in a bid to mend ties, and Saudi Arabia has reciprocated with the appointment. After Riyadh withdrew its envoy last year, there were fears that many Lebanese nationals working in the Kingdom could be sent back as a punitive measure for Hezbollah’s role in Syria. The group has also stoked and nurtured insurgencies across the region, doing Tehran’s bidding. Many countries, including the UAE have designated it a terror group and have banned it. Saudi Arabia’s decision is significant in this context. It signals some compromise between Riyadh and Tehran in the regional geopolitical game that is being played out, where peace is hard to comprehend.