Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that it has halted its $3 billion military programme in support of the Lebanese army in response to Beirut’s latest “unjustified” stances on Arab and worldwide platforms, Anadolu has reported.
Advertisement
This includes both a $3 billion grant to the Lebanese army and a separate $1 billion package to the Internal Security Forces, dealing a blow to the country’s efforts against militants operating in areas bordering Syria.
“Despite these honorable stands, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been met with Lebanese stands that are against it on Arab, regional and worldwide arenas, in the shadow of the confiscation of the will of the state by the so-called Lebanese Hezbollah”, the statement said.
Saudi Arabia announced the aid cuts through a statement on the website of its state news agency, citing an unnamed Saudi official.
Hezbollah, however, said the Saudi decision came as no surprise and “was taken quite some time ago”.
Even if Iran did not agree to join the deal, which is being proposed by Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar and Venezuela, Texler said there would still be an effect on the market.
The former president of the republic Michel Suleiman, who was the sponsor of the large Saudi gift to the Lebanese army told Asharq Al-Awsat that “there are hands that previously tried to annul the Baabda declaration that are now trying to harm Lebanon’s interests abroad”.
Saudi Arabia backs insurgents fighting against Assad. According to Riyadh, Lebanon has taken “regrettable and unjustified” positions recently which are not in line with the “fraternal relations” between the two countries.
Lebanon lost approximately $4 billion in Saudi military aid yesterday after the Kingdom made a decision to “reconsider relations with Lebanon”.
The Donas programme was to ship vehicles, helicopters, drones, cannons and other equipment to Lebanon.
Advertisement
In June a French diplomatic source denied that the deal had been cancelled, but said there were delays, while the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir maintained that the agreement was proceeding normally.
