Citizens from Gulf states start leaving crisis-hit Lebanon

Dozens of citizens of Gulf countries began leaving Lebanon on Friday after their governments ordered them out of the Mediterranean country, as the president called for the return of Lebanon's prime minister who resigned from the Saudi capital last week.

Dozens of men, women and children from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain were seen leaving Lebanon on Friday morning through Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, after Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates ordered their citizens to leave the country.

The move was the first concrete action against Lebanon after days of statements by Saudi government officials.

Saad Hariri shocked his country last Saturday when he announced in a televised statement from Saudi Arabia that he was resigning.

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun has refused to accept Hariri's resignation before he returns to the country and explains the circumstances of his decision to step down, which effectively shattered a year-old coalition government in Lebanon. Aoun met with foreign ambassadors, including Al Bukhari, on Friday to discuss the resignation and his next moves.

Meanwhile, a French official in President Emmanuel Macron's office said Hariri has told foreign ambassadors that he is not a prisoner in Saudi Arabia, where he has been staying since the resignation.

The French and US ambassadors in Saudi Arabia met with Hariri, and Hariri "says he is not a prisoner, the (Saudi crown) prince says he is not a prisoner", said the official.
Macron paid a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday night and met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks about the prevailing situation.

The official said Hariri did not ask to see Macron during the visit and that French officials "don't have any specific signs" that the Lebanese prime minister's life is in danger.

Also on Friday, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told Europe-1 radio that "to our knowledge," Hariri is not being held. Le Drian noted Hariri's trip from Saudi Arabia to the UAE and back earlier this week, adding France thinks "he is free in his movements, and it is up to him to make his choices".

Source: Khaleej Times