Mustaqbal Says Hizbullah Policies Have Become 'Real Threat' to Lebanon after Saudi Move

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday slammed Hizbullah's policies as a "real threat" to Lebanon and to the interests of the Lebanese, amid a growing row with Saudi Arabia over Hizbullah's anti-Saudi stances and Lebanon's recent diplomatic positions.

“Hizbullah's growing practices in terms of imposing hegemony over the State's administrations, institutions and decisions, and sabotaging Lebanon’s foreign relations in general and Arab ties in particular have started to pose a real threat to Lebanon's freedom and sovereignty and to the interests of the Lebanese at home and abroad,” the bloc said in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.

“This continued sabotage has taken political, economic and social forms, and it has recently taken a dangerous aspect after the policies of the party and its allies started to undermine Lebanon's relations with its Arab brothers,” it warned.

“Those destroying the Lebanese-Arab and the Lebanese-Saudi relations must immediately stop the practices that are harming Lebanon and the interests of the Lebanese,” Mustaqbal urged.

It called on the Lebanese to protect the country's ties with the Arab nations and “not to leave the Lebanese arena to the policies of Iran, which has not hesitated to show its ambitions in several Arab states including Lebanon.”

Echoing remarks by al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri, the bloc also called on Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to “reconsider the decision that suspended grants aimed at backing and arming the Lebanese army and security forces.”

Separately, Mustaqbal called on the parliamentary blocs to “seize the chance” of the March 2 electoral session in order to elect a president and end the country's lengthy presidential vacuum.

“There are three candidates now and one of them can be elected,” it added, referring to Michel Aoun, Suleiman Franjieh and Henri Helou.

Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia advised its citizens against travel to Lebanon and urged those already in the country to leave it, citing “safety” concerns. The UAE swiftly followed suit, banning its citizens from traveling to Lebanon and reducing its diplomatic presence in Beirut.

Saudi Arabia decided last week to halt a $4 billion grant to the Lebanese army and security forces and to review its diplomatic relations with Lebanon. The stance came after Lebanon's foreign ministry declined to vote in favor of Saudi-backed resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers.

It also followed fierce anti-Saudi statements by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Announcing its decision on Friday, the kingdom deplored "political and media campaigns inspired by Hizbullah against Saudi Arabia," as well as what it called the group's "terrorist acts against Arab and Muslim nations."

In a statement, Hizbullah said Saudi Arabia stopped the military aid because of economic pressures from the war in Yemen, where it leads an Arab military coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels, and lower oil revenues.

The $3 billion deal funded military equipment provided by France and was to ship vehicles, helicopters, drones, artillery and other equipment to Lebanon.

Y.R.