Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs called on Tuesday all its citizens to leave Lebanon at once amidst the worrying diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and the Arab Gulf states.
“The minister urges all its citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately due to the tense situation”, he declared, following on the steps of UAE who issued the same statement a day earlier.
The Lebanon-Gulf Crisis was sparked by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi expressing his opinion against the war in Yemen, and the involvement of the Saudi-Arabia-led coalition.
The Saudi Foreign minister later described the crisis as “broader than just the comments of one minister” and blamed “Hezbollah continuing dominance of the political scene” in Lebanon.
He deems any relation with Lebanon counterproductive for that reason.
The Saudi Kingdom recalled its ambassador and expelled Lebanon’s ambassador, and stopped all imports from Lebanon.
The political boycott’s move has been followed by Kuwait, Bahrain, and UAE in support of the Saudi Kingdom.
The Lebanese government acted too slow in its response to the crisis, Prime Minister Mikati simply indicated that it was only a personal opinion and it was not reflective of Lebanon’s position toward the war in Yemen.
Nevertheless, this situation is another rising crisis Lebanon has to face as it relies on Saudi economic help which has been now compromised.
The Lebanon-Gulf Crisis is escalating quickly, alongside growing concerns about the consequences of such a reshaping of power relations in the Middle East.
By the Arab Gulf states cutting off Lebanon, it will allow their nemesis Iran more power than it already has via Hezbollah over Lebanon and its politics.
