Lebanese-Gulf Relations: Where to From Here?

Okaz, Saudi Arabia, January 14

At a time when the Gulf countries, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, openly embrace and welcome the Lebanese citizens living in them, the Lebanese leadership continues to antagonize Gulf states and attack Saudi Arabia. What’s more unfortunate is the fact that many Lebanese political leaders are doing so in direct contradiction to their country’s national interest, which would actually call for greater and closer coordination with the Gulf. It’s also unfortunate that every time Lebanon makes progress towards amending its relations with the Gulf, these individuals immediately spoil such efforts by making statements that deepen the existing rifts with the Gulf and eliminate any hope of restoring Lebanon’s economic and political health. Most ironically, these individuals speak up against Gulf states that embrace hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens who send money to their families that are trapped in misery and poverty because of Lebanon’s policies. The time has come to stop this destructive approach, which has reached the point of claiming that “the Gulf states use the Lebanese who work for them as hostages,” while the bitter reality is that Lebanon is being held hostage by a militant group that has brought nothing but misery, destitution, and isolation upon its citizens. In fact, this claim aims to divert attention from the real problem that Lebanon is experiencing, which is the confiscation of its state’s authority. The priority of Lebanese politicians should be salvaging their own country. They should leave their expatriates living in the Gulf alone, allowing them to continue to live in safety, go about their work, make a living, and pursue the lives they deserve. They must leave them away from the hell known as Lebanon, which brought nothing but misery, pain, poverty, and homelessness. Evidence for this abounds in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon. The harsh truth is that the Lebanese people living in the Gulf are doing so with decency and honor, while those stuck inside Lebanon are held hostage by a cruel regime. –Raouf Abu Zaki (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)