Lebanon–Saudi Arabia relations

Lebanon–Saudi Arabia relations

Lebanon	Saudi Arabia

The

Historically, both two were parts of the Ottoman Empire, with Lebanon under a self-government rule while what would be the modern day-Saudi Arabia was under the direct control of the Ottoman Empire.^[1] After the end of the Ottoman rule, the Turks vacated from both nations and the Saudi Kingdom would be found from the ashes of the World War I while Lebanon fell under the French rule.^[2] It was not until the end of the World War II that saw the two nations officially establish relations.

The two countries established relations once World War II came to an end. In the first decades, Lebanon was embroiled with the conflict against

With the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War, Saudi Arabia began to play the role as a peace broker for the Lebanese affairs, during which the Saudis sent a group of peacekeeping soldiers to the country before merging with the Arab Deterrent Force. However, it was that time witnessed the rise of the Islamic Iran, overthrowing the previous Shah's rule and Iran began prompting its presence via Hezbollah. This had raised alarm among the Saudi government and as for the result, with the Taif Agreement being signed, Saudi Arabia started to pour billions of dollars to reconstruct Lebanon in order to fend off growing Iranian influence.^[5]

21st century

In 2008, the Saudi Foreign Minister, prince

In February 2016, Saudi Arabia decided to halt $3b package to Lebanese army, as Lebanon failed to condemn the attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.^[7]

In 2017, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon were involved in a diplomatic conflict that almost sparked into a war, where Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri summoned his resignation under Saudi pressure to oust Hezbollah from Lebanon.^{[8][9][10][11]} This was followed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE calling its citizens to leave Lebanon.^[12] Later, Hariri revoked the resignation and continued to serve as Prime Minister until 2020.

In August 2020, Saudi Arabia sent 120 tonnes of supplies to provide humanitarian aid to the victims following the Beirut explosion.^[13] In May 2021, Saudi Arabia summoned the Lebanese ambassador, following controversial comments from the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Charbel Wehbe, against their country.^[14]

On 29 October 2021, Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanese ambassador from the country after

On 3 January 2022, in a televised speech in Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Saudi Arabia of exporting ISIL (ISIS) ideology and transporting cars rigged with explosives for suicide attacks to Iraq.^[18] Later on the same day, Lebanese prime minister, Najib Mikati said Nasrallah's criticism of Saudi Arabia did not serve Lebanon's national interest nor represent the country's official stance.^[19]

On the 7th of April 2022, relations were partially restored with the return of the Saudi Ambassador to Beirut.^[20]

Economic relations and Financial aids

In 2001 and 2002, Saudi Arabia pledge to pay $700m in aid, during the Paris II conference to achieve Lebanon's economic development.^[4][21] The remittances from Lebanese expats in the Gulf countries accounted for 10–15% of their country’s GDP from 1990 to 2004.^[4]

Following the 2006 Lebanon War, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait deposited $1.5b into Lebanon's central bank to support the Lebanese pound.^[4] A year later, Riyadh pledged $1b in aid to Lebanon, during a donor meeting chaired by French President Jacques Chirac.^[4] Moreover, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates had accounted 76% of the foreign direct investment projects in Lebanon from 2003 to 2015.^[22][23]

In April 2021, Saudi Arabia banned the Lebanese fruit and vegetable imports to Saudi Arabia due to the drug smuggling and after 5.3m

• Lebanese people in Saudi Arabia

References