In a new sign of regional tension spilling over into Lebanon, Saudi Arabia on Thursday suspended a military aid package to the Lebanese security forces in what an official said was a response to Beirut’s failure to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
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“Lebanon’s official position has been hijacked and turned against the interests of Lebanon itself and the interests of Arabs, something evident in the so-called Hezbollah’s hijacking of Lebanon’s official decision, which led the country to taking an incongruous position that is against pan-Arab interests”, the statement stated. The other involves a $1 billion support deal for the Lebanese police. Bahrain also supported the Saudi decision.
Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran last month after demonstrators stormed its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric and activist.
The schism has been exacerbated by the war in neighbouring Syria, with Hezbollah sending fighters to bolster President Bashar al-Assad against an uprising that is supported by Saudi Arabia and Hariri’s political bloc.
The Saudi announcement, made by an official source via the state-run Saudi Press Agency, comes after Lebanon declined to support resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers at the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Although the Lebanese army, which historically has been equipped by the United States and France, is generally seen as a unifying force in the country and drawing its ranks from all of Lebanon’s sects, it is widely viewed as being much weaker than the Hezbollah militant group.
“So I present to you and to Prime Minister Tammam Salam my resignation”, he said.
The statement said that Bahrain looks forward to Lebanon to reconsider its anti-Arab position, deter terrorist group Hezbollah and halt its unacceptable practices.
That was “regrettable and unjustified”, and “inconsistent with the fraternal relations between the two countries”, the Saudis said.
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This included a deal for about 200 armoured vehicles.
