Diplomatic crisis erupts over comments on Yemen

BEIRUT — Lebanese politicians were in contact with foreign officials Saturday to try find a solution to a crisis between Lebanon and Gulf nations led by Saudi Arabia, triggered by comments of a Cabinet minister regarding the war in Yemen.

Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates followed the Saudis with punitive measures against Lebanon, increasing pressure on the small, crisis-hit country badly in need of foreign assistance to help it ease a crippling economic and financial crisis.

On Saturday, Saudi ambassador to Beirut Waleed Bukhari flew home after he was recalled by his government. Bukhari’s departure came a day after Saudi Arabia ordered Lebanon’s ambassador to Riyadh to leave within 48 hours and banned all imports from Lebanon.

Saudi Arabia has for decades been a huge market for Lebanese products.

The moves came as the Arab League chief expressed concerns about the deterioration of ties between Lebanon and wealthy Gulf countries over statements made by Information Minister George Kordahi.

Kordahi described — on a TV program filmed in August and aired last week — the war in Yemen as an aggression by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He called the war “absurd,” saying it must stop because he is opposed to wars between Arabs. Yemen has been convulsed by civil war since 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels captured the capital, Sanaa, and much of the north of the country. That forced the internationally recognized government to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed by the United States, to try to restore the government to power. Despite a relentless air campaign and ground fighting, the war has deteriorated largely into a stalemate and spawned the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Kuwait followed Saudi Arabia

and Bahrain by ordering the Lebanese charge d’affaires on Saturday to leave the emirate within two days. Later Saturday, the United Arab Emirates’ state-run WAM news agency said it would withdraw its diplomats from Lebanon in solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said in a statement Saturday that Lebanon wants the best relations with Saudi Arabia and its neighbors.