Saudis Advised to Stay Out of Lebanon

Saudi Arabia, in a rare move, issued a travel restriction advisory on Monday urging citizens to avoid Lebanon due to “unstable political and security conditions.”

 

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) distributed the advisory attributed to an official source at the foreign ministry who also urged Saudis living in Lebanon to adopt the “required precautionary measures” in their movements.

 

The advisory, according to the source, was issued “in line with the keenness of the Saudi Government on ensuring the safety of the citizens who are planning to travel abroad.”

 

The move was adopted after some factions of the Hizbullah-led opposition have accused Saudi Arabia of blocking a settlement to the ongoing political crisis in Lebanon.

 

It also followed sharp verbal attacks by pro-Syrian figures against Saudi officials.

 

The March 14 majority blames Syria and Iran for obstructing a settlement in Lebanon.

 

The precautionary Saudi move also followed street tensions in Lebanon that wounded at least 20 people late on Saturday.

 

Observers have said major Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Gulf states, might boycott the forthcoming Arab Summit scheduled for March 29 in Damascus, if the Lebanese crisis persisted.

 

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria have been deteriorating since the assassination of Lebanese ex-Premier Rafik Hariri by a powerful blast that targeted his motorcade in Beirut on Feb. 14, 2005.

 

Syria has been widely blamed for the crime, a charge that Damascus has denied.