Sara El Husseini | Staff Writer
On the 5th of August, Lebanese TV presenter George Kordahi made controversial comments concerning the Yemeni civil war. Kordahi explicitly labeled the war as futile and stated that it was time for it to end. The interview was aired a month later, on September 10th, just in time for Kordahi to be appointed as Lebanon’s Minister of Media. These comments did not go unnoticed by the Saudi Arabian government, who immediately took offense and called for Kordahi’s resignation.
It is important to mention that this is not the first time such an incident happens. Not too long ago, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charbel Wehbe, also made offensive comments regarding Saudi Arabian policies. However, unlike Kordahi, Wehbe immediately stepped down and resigned in hopes of preserving Lebanese-Gulf relations. Despite the efforts of the Lebanese government in rejecting Kordahi’s statements and insisting that they wanted the best of relations with the Gulf, these comments did not pass without repercussions. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait recalled their respective Lebanese ambassadors and gave them as little as 48 hours to get out of the country.
The public also had their fair share of opinions: most have argued that these comments were made before he was appointed as Minister and therefore Lebanon should not be held accountable for someone’s personal political views. Others insisted that Kordahi resign, asserting that we need not pay the price for the so-called carelessness of ministers.
This sudden boycott is not to be taken lightly – with 300 to 400 million dollars’ worth of Lebanese products exported to the region, the decision to stop imports and exports is a direct blow to the Lebanese economy. Not to forget that over half a million Lebanese expats reside and work in the Gulf. Moreover, the boycott raised many questions; no one ever mentioned how Kordahi spent substantial time during his interview complimenting the UAE’s internal and foreign policies, even going as far as calling it his second home. Many have also pointed out that the Gulf’s governments were offended by a statement that has been repeatedly said by many prominent worldwide leaders – Joe Biden being one of them. Therefore, some are calling to question the true political objectives of Saudi Arabia’s decision to initiate the boycott.
Finally, although this strain of relations could crumble the Lebanese economy even further, Kordahi eminently refused to resign. As the discussion of resolutions progresses between Lebanon and the Gulf, we are eager to see how these regional relations will be amended and what future political verdicts will be made.