Former Lebanese prime ministers call on Kordahi to resign amid Saudi row

By Stephanie Rady

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) – Former Lebanese prime ministers on Saturday called on the country’s information minister to resign amid a diplomatic crisis between the two countries over his criticism of the Saudi military role in war-torn Yemen.

A statement issued by former heads of government, Fouad Siniora, Saad Hariri, and Tammam Salam, said George Kordahi’s presence in the government poses “a danger to Lebanese-Arab relations, to Lebanon's interest, and to the interests of the Lebanese in the Arab Gulf states and in the world."

"Lebanon is no longer able to withstand the successive blows and setbacks as a result of the deviation of its foreign policy," they said.

"Enough is enough, gentlemen, and Lebanon can only be an Arab who sticks to its brothers," the statement read.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations and asked the Lebanese envoy to leave the kingdom within 48 hours. Riyadh also said it will block all imports from Lebanon.

The Saudi measures came in response to comments made by Kordahi against Riyadh in a televised interview said to be recorded before he took his post in the new Cabinet headed by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Asked if he "thinks that the Houthis, like Hezbollah, are defending their land as an armed organization," Kordahi responded: "Of course they are defending themselves ... My personal opinion is that this war in Yemen needs to end. Houses, buildings, villages, and cities are being attacked by fighter jets."

On Friday, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry said it has ordered the Lebanese ambassador in Manama to leave the country within 48 hours.

Lebanon is already facing deteriorating economic conditions and an acute shortage of energy.

In an attempt to avert a crisis, Mikati said Kordahi made the comment before taking his post and it does not reflect the government's position. He added that the remarks in no way demonstrate Lebanon's policy with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

A Saudi-led coalition aimed at reinstating the Yemeni government has worsened the situation and caused one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises.

* Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar