Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid al Bukhari denied the existence of any plans to deport Lebanese nationals from Saudi Arabia after rumors circulated about the matter following remarks by outgoing Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbé who accused Riyadh of ” having supported the establishment of terrorist organizations in the region and in Lebanon in particular.
The diplomat then addressed local journalists, even specifying that during his last stay in the Kingdom, he was in a queue in front of Lebanese nationals and believing that his country does not make any difference between a citizen and a resident. .
The news comes as Charbel Wehbé asked to be relieved of his duties and has since been replaced by outgoing defense minister Zeina Akar, in what appears to be an attempt to please the Saudi kingdom which has already heavily sanctioned the Land of Cedars with an embargo on the export of food products.
Since the presidency of the republic clarified that Charbel Wehbé expressed a personal opinion and not the official position of Lebanon, while mainly Sunni personalities, in particular the deputy Bahia Hariri or the advisor to the designated prime minister Ahmad Hariri and the former minister from the interior Ashraf Rifi, went to the ambassador to give him their support.
