Jumblat to Saudi: Halting Aid Weakens State, Economic Siege on Lebanon Not Useful
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Sunday warned Saudi Arabia that its halt of military aid to Lebanon would only “weaken the Lebanese state” and that any “economic siege” on Lebanon would “impoverish all Lebanese.”
“The response against Lebanese institutions will weaken the institutions and the State. Suspending the military aid will weaken the State and they (Hizbullah) will benefit from this,” Jumblat cautioned during an interview with Orient News TV, which supports the Syrian opposition.
“An economic siege on Lebanon would impoverish all Lebanese and will not be useful, unless there are plans to undermine Lebanese stability and the Lebanese entity,” Jumblat added.
His remarks come amid an unprecedented rift in the ties with Riyadh that has seen the kingdom halt around $4 billion in aid to Lebanon's army and security forces and advise its citizens against visiting the country.
Saudi Arabia has linked its move to "hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hizbullah on the state" and alleged Hizbullah "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations."
Asked about the Lebanese government's stance on the row with Riyadh and the statement it issued after an emergency session, Jumblat described the statement as “sufficient.”
“I believe that Prime Minister Tammam Salam has done what is necessary and I hope the kingdom, the UAE and other Gulf states will accept the official Lebanese apology, for the sake of Lebanon and the historic ties between Lebanon and the Gulf states,” the PSP leader added.
Asked about justice minister Ashraf Rifi's recent resignation from the government, Jumblat accused the minister of “attention seeking,” noting that he should have “showed solidarity with (al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM) Saad Hariri.”
“Saad Hariri remains the first guarantee for Lebanese moderation,” Jumblat stressed.
He also described Hizbullah as “a part of an Iranian system” in Lebanon and the region, when asked whether the party cares about the interests of its supporters and the interests of the Lebanese in general.
Y.R.
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