The relationship between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council is looked as a brotherly relationship and it goes back in time

The relationship between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Council is looked as a brotherly relationship and it goes back in time.

Lebanon cannot live without the Gulf, and every single sector in Lebanon relies on the Gulf, whether its trade or tourism or anything else, and we have seen glorious years in Lebanon when its relationship with the Gulf was at its peak.

The recent crisis that has developed between and the GCC, does not go back to the recent statement that Ex Minister of media Mr. George Kordahi, but it has escalated ever since the previous government that was chaired by Hassan Diab, where the Minister of Foreign Affairs Charbel Wehbe made an outrageous statement on Television and called the citizens of the Gulf "Bedouins". In no time, Charbel Wehbe resigned and apologized for the statement that was made on Television.

What differentiates the recent crisis that Ex media Minister Kordahi made, was that after he criticized on Television that the Saudi war on Yemen was absurd. Kordahi later on said: "As for the apology, I have the moral courage to apologize for a mistake I made in my official capacity as minister". What Kordahi meant was that his statement could not be used against him as a minister, because simply enough, the statement goes back before he was part of the newly formed government chaired by Najib Mikati.

The situation escalated, and the wound was deeper for the Lebanese - GCC relations, as non state actor Hassan Nasrallah backed George Kordahi and made it clear that Kordahi would not resign and that the Saudi war on Yemen was indeed absurd.

The Gulf Cooperation Council took a decision altogether that all their ambassadors and diplomats would leave Lebanon, as well as all Lebanese ambassadors would be expelled from the Gulf. As soon as this decision was taken, Lebanon lost all possibilities of financial and political support, and that Lebanon would be indeed cut off from the Arab world over an individual who is backed by a non state actor who has been constantly attacking the Gulf despite all the aid and support that Lebanon has been receiving from the Gulf in the last decades.

While Lebanese President Michel Aoun was in Qatar on an official visit, and on an interview with Al Jazeera, when asked about George Kordahi's resignation, Lebanese president was not able to answer and was silent for a few seconds until another question was asked. Lebanese president is blamed by the GCC for not being independent, as well as the newly formed government, and the blame goes to Hezbollah for having full control over Lebanon's politics.

French president Emmanuel Macron was on a tour in the Gulf during the weekend and the highlight of his visit was his focus on Lebanon.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was on the phone with Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati and said that he wants to open a new page with Lebanon. Now the question is, is this the first step to solve the political crisis between Lebanon and the GCC?

Macron's efforts were not let down by either the Lebanese and the Saudi side, so there is a potential that within the near future, we might see some development and eventually the return of
the Lebanese diplomats to the Gulf, as well as the GCC ambassadors to Lebanon.

Omar Adel Ladki