Al-Nahar, Lebanon, Originally posted in Arabic on February 22
Earlier last week, the Saudi government announced the suspension of $3 billion in aid to the Lebanese Army, following Beirut’s failure to condemn the attacks carried out against Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
As proud Lebanese citizens, we might not agree with this decision, but we can only hold ourselves accountable for it. Gulf countries in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular, have stood by Lebanon’s side for decades. In each and every attack carried out by Israel against Lebanon, Riyadh provided immediate help and relief efforts. The Gulf is also home to thousands of Lebanese workers, who contribute billions of dollars to the Lebanese economy by wiring wages back to banks in Beirut.
Now is the time to reflect on our politics, and understand where we went wrong. How did our relations with our closest ally in the Gulf hit such a shoal?
Hezbollah has dragged our country into an unnecessary involvement in the Syrian civil war. It is following orders given to it by Damascus, while ignoring Lebanese national interests. How is it possible that foreign powers hijacked our government? Lebanon is not only political dysfunctional, but it is also loosing its closest allies in the region.
If this trend continues, we will find ourselves facing even worse trouble than we already are. We might not like the way this sounds, but it is our responsibility to get our country out of this mess. –Naila Tawini