Lebanese President Joseph Aoun travelled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday the third of March. He met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Muhammad bin Salman – better known as MBS – the country’s de facto ruler for a two-day visit. The two Middle East leaders issued a joint statement calling for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and that only the Lebanese state- specifically the country’s formal military – should have weapons. This was an ultimatum to the Lebanese militia Hezbollah to disarm. Aoun’s state visit, is the first by a Lebanese President to the Islamic Saudi monarchy in eight years. The meeting between the two leaders is meant to improve ties between Lebanon and the Kingdom that have gone icy cold due to Iran’s influence in the Mediterranean coastal state.
Aoun visited Saudi Arabia several times when he was army commander, and many in Lebanon hope that his visit as president will open the way for lifting a ban on imports from Lebanon as well as allowing Saudi citizens to travel to Lebanon. Aoun was received Monday night by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Yamama Palace in the capital, Riyadh, where they discussed the situation in Lebanon and boosting relations between the two countries, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Aoun’s visit comes after the Iran-backed Hezbollah suffered severe blows during a 14-month war with Israel that left many of its top political and military officials dead and ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late November. Israel withdrew many of its troops from Lebanon in mid-February but left five posts inside Lebanon, which Lebanese officials have described as a violation of the ceasefire deal.
It is worth noting that the meeting with the Lebanese President is a public triumph for MBS who has been trying to regain influence in Beirut since his treatment of former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri when the country’s then head of government was believed to be held against his will in Riyadh by the Saudi monarchy. Beirut strengthened ties with Tehran as result. But since the demise of the regime of former President Bashir al Assad in Syria, Lebanon’s most influential neighbour, Beirut is looking for stronger partners. President Aoun sees securing Riyadh’s trust again as vital to ensuring the security and defence of Lebanon’s territorial integrity. Hezbollah for their part has found themselves redundant since the death of their main political and religious leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah was long a thorn in the side of the Saudi monarchy, and the assassination of Nasrallah by the Israeli Intelligence services brought a reprieve to that threat.
In 2016, Riyadh suspended a $3 billion military aid package to Lebanon after Beirut failed to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. Mr Aoun told Asharq News he would ask Riyadh during his visit “if it is possible to reactivate the grant”. There was no mention of the aid after the meetings. Many view the international community’s support for the Lebanese Armed Forces as an essential requirement for its success in implementing UN Resolution 1701, which calls for disarming armed groups in Lebanon – seen as a reference to Hezbollah. Despite a ceasefire agreement that requires Israel’s full pull-out from Lebanon after the recent war, Israeli forces are unlikely to withdraw from five military positions in southern Lebanon any time soon because of “strategic reasons”, Lebanese, French and US sources have told The National.
Prior to this meeting between the Saudi and Lebanese leaderships MBS had been seeking with support of – then in 2016 and now – US President Donald Trump to establish diplomatic relations with the Israeli Zionists. With the recent meeting with President Aoun, the Saudi Crown Prince may be trying to raise his diplomatic steaks as a strategic leader of a regional powerhouse. MBS does not want Hezbollah to reassert its power as a regional non state actor. So, he may have given his consent to Aoun to reinstate the $3 billion aid package to the Lebanese military and police. In exchange for the Lebanese government of President Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salaam being a check on Hezbollah’s influence. MBS and the House of Saud clan does not was want Hezbollah a proxy group of Shi’ite Iran gaining regional clout again.
Then the Saudi monarchy could find itself sandwiched between Iran’s proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi militants – another ally of Tehran – in Yemen. MBS does not desire the Saudi Kingdom to be isolated but the geopolitical game he is playing may end up putting his future throne at risk if he is not careful.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
