Why does the Lebanese Sunni component no longer trust Riyadh?
Amid optimism over Lebanon’s new government, especially Arab countries such as Kuwait and Qatar, Sunni circles in Beirut, which have close ties to Saudi Arabia, said that the country’s ambassador to Lebanon, Walid al-Bukhari, had arrived in Beirut two weeks ago, according to the publication’s website. He returned but only met with some of Lebanon’s friends and intellectuals.
The sources reported that the Saudi ambassador did not mention the case of the formation of the Lebanese government or the position of Saudi Arabia towards the government of “Najib Mikati” and did not have any new orientation on the part of his country towards Lebanon.
Citing sources at the Arab embassies in Beirut, the circles stressed that Saudi Arabia’s position on Najib Mikati’s government was negative and that it was a continuation of the government of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. The Saudis see the new Lebanese government as an unverified version of the 2011 Lebanese government and the government of former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab.
According to the report, the Saudis believe that the current Lebanese government will save the presidential pact and pave the way for Hezbollah.
Saudi Arabia believes that Lebanon’s move to import fuel from Iran and the movement of Lebanese fuel ships to Lebanon, as well as the re-establishment of relations between Beirut and Damascus, show the desire of Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Hezbollah, and indeed all Lebanese, to complete the alliance with Iran and Hezbollah. It is the loss of Arab relations, especially Saudi Arabia.
One of the diplomats of the Arab Gulf countries in Lebanon said in this regard: “The non-expression of the negative position of Saudi Arabia towards the new Lebanese government is due to the internal calculations of Riyadh and Beirut and also the connection of these calculations with the negotiations with Iran about Yemen.” Lebanon’s internal affairs, and in particular the Sunni component, Saudi Arabia has not yet determined who will replace Saad Hariri.
But it seems that the Saudis’ preferred option in Lebanon is “Samir Geagea”, the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, which has provoked the Sunnis in Lebanon, especially the Saudi allies, who are now completely disappointed with Riyadh and its humanitarian, livelihood and food aid.
On the other hand, the Sunni group of Lebanon in the north of the country also saw how Saudi Arabia left the families of the victims and the injured in the explosion after the explosion of the “Al-Talil” area in Akkar (fuel tanker explosion).
