Lebanon–Saudi Arabia relations

The modern territory of Saudi Arabia and Lebanon had seen various empires exerting control in the region, the notable ones being the Persian Empire, Roman Empire, Alexander the Great's empire, Arab Caliphates, Seljuk Empire, Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire; still, it was the Muslim conquest of the Levant from the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula that brought Islam and Arabic language to Lebanon, and remains a highly powerful legacy which turned Lebanese people into Arabic-speaking people, although Islam did not become the majority religion of Lebanese people but rather part of a diverse Lebanese society.

Historically, both two were parts of the Ottoman Empire, with Lebanon under a self-government rule while what would be the modern day-Saudi Arabia was under the direct control of the Ottoman Empire.{{Cite book|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt183p4f5|jstor = j.ctt183p4f5|title = A History of Modern Lebanon|last1 = Traboulsi|first1 = Fawwaz|year = 2012|publisher = Pluto Press|doi = 10.2307/j.ctt183p4f5|isbn = 9780745332741}} After the end of the Ottoman rule, the Turks vacated from both nations and the Saudi Kingdom would be found from the ashes of the World War I while Lebanon fell under the French rule.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lgic.org/en/history_lebanon1516.php|title=History of Lebanon, Ottomans- French- Independence 1516-1943|website=www.lgic.org}} It was not until the end of the World War II that saw the two nations officially establish relations.

The two countries established relations once World War II came to an end. In the first decades, Lebanon was embroiled with the conflict against Israel as part of greater Arab–Israeli conflict, Saudi Arabia provided political support for Lebanon but did not send any military force to assist the Lebanese.{{Cite web | url=https://mepc.org/journal/saudi-arabia-and-arab-israeli-peace-process | title=Saudi Arabia and the Arab-Israeli Peace Process | Middle East Policy Council }} In 1952, the two countries established diplomatic relations; in the meantime, Lebanese president Camille Chamoun and King Abdulaziz exchanged visits a year later.{{Cite web|url=https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1262053/lebanon-saudi-arabia-the-story-of-a-family-rupture.html|title=Lebanon–Saudi Arabia: The story of a family rupture|date=May 17, 2021|website=L'Orient Today}}

With the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War, Saudi Arabia began to play the role as a peace broker for the Lebanese affairs, during which the Saudis sent a group of peacekeeping soldiers to the country before merging with the Arab Deterrent Force. However, it was that time witnessed the rise of the Islamic Iran, overthrowing the previous Shah's rule and Iran began prompting its presence via Hezbollah. This had raised alarm among the Saudi government and as for the result, with the Taif Agreement being signed, Saudi Arabia started to pour billions of dollars to reconstruct Lebanon in order to fend off growing Iranian influence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ispionline.it/en/pubblicazione/saudi-policy-lebanon-no-easy-option-riyadh-20396|title=Saudi Policy in Lebanon: No Easy Option for Riyadh|date=May 4, 2018|website=ISPI}}

In 2008, the Saudi Foreign Minister, prince Saud Al Faisal secretly proposed setting up an Arab military force to fight Hezbollah in Lebanon with the help of the United States, UN and NATO. According to leaked diplomatic memos, Faisal has accused the UN troops in Lebanon of "sitting doing nothing", and voiced concerns that Iran will use Hezbollah to take over Lebanon.[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3995992,00.html Saudi plan for anti-Hezbollah force revealed], AFP and Ynet, August 12, 2010

In February 2016, Saudi Arabia decided to halt $3b package to Lebanese army, as Lebanon failed to condemn the attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-lebanon-idUSKCN0VS1KK|title=Saudi Arabia halts $3 billion package to Lebanese army, security aid| newspaper=Reuters |date=February 19, 2016|via=www.reuters.com}}

In 2017, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon were involved in a diplomatic conflict that almost sparked into a war, where Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri summoned his resignation under Saudi pressure to oust Hezbollah from Lebanon.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/24/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-saad-hariri-mohammed-bin-salman-lebanon.html|title=Why Saad Hariri Had That Strange Sojourn in Saudi Arabia|first1=Anne|last1=Barnard|first2=Maria|last2=Abi-Habib| newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 24, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/saudi-arabia-lebanon-declaring-war-171107054322565.html|title=Saudi Arabia says Lebanon 'declaring war' against it|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=November 7, 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-politics/lebanon-president-urges-unity-after-pm-hariri-quits-toppling-coalition-of-sectarian-groups-idUSKBN1D61SZ|title=Saudi Arabia says Lebanon declares war, deepening crisis|date=November 7, 2017|work=Reuters|access-date=November 7, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/237735|title=Saudi Arabia: Lebanon declared war on us|website=Israel National News|access-date=November 7, 2017}} This was followed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE calling its citizens to leave Lebanon.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/10/saudi-arabia-orders-citizens-to-leave-lebanon-as-tensions-rise|title=Saudi Arabia orders citizens to leave Lebanon as tensions rise|date=November 10, 2017|website=the Guardian}} Later, Hariri revoked the resignation and continued to serve as Prime Minister until 2020.

In August 2020, Saudi Arabia sent 120 tonnes of supplies to provide humanitarian aid to the victims following the Beirut explosion.{{Cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2020/08/07/Beirut-explosion-Saudi-Arabia-opens-air-bridge-to-Lebanon-first-two-aid-planes-sent|title=Beirut explosion: Saudi Arabia opens air bridge to Lebanon, first two aid planes sent|date=August 7, 2020|website=Al Arabiya English}} In May 2021, Saudi Arabia summoned the Lebanese ambassador, following controversial comments from the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Charbel Wehbe, against their country.{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/19/lebanons-foreign-minister-asks-to-quit-after-comments-strained-g |title=Lebanon's FM asks to quit after ISIL comments anger Gulf states |website=Al Jazeera |date=19 May 2021 }}

On 29 October 2021, Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanese ambassador from the country after George Kordahi, a Lebanese minister, criticised Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Yemeni Civil War.{{Cite web | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/10/29/saudi-arabia-bans-imports-from-lebanon-expels-ambassador | title=Saudi Arabia, Bahrain expel Lebanese ambassadors }} It has been speculated that Hezbollah's involvement in favor of the Houthis the Yemeni Civil War was a major factor in this decision.{{Cite web |title=Beirut for Ma'rib? |url=https://carnegie-mec.org/diwan/85731 |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=Carnegie Middle East Center |language=en}}

On December 4, 2021, George Kordahi resigned, stating in a news conference “I won’t accept being used as a reason to harm Lebanon and our Lebanese brothers in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries". After Kordahi's resignation, a phone call was held between the French president Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, and the Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati.{{Cite news | url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/lebanon-pm-says-call-with-saudi-crown-prince-and-macron-important-step-statement | title=Lebanon PM says call with Saudi Crown Prince and Macron 'important step' - statement | newspaper=National Post | date=4 December 2021 }}

On 3 January 2022, in a televised speech Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Saudi Arabia of exporting ISIL (ISIS) ideology and transporting cars rigged with explosives for suicide attacks to Iraq.{{Cite web|last=Chehayeb|first=Kareem|title=Hezbollah's Nasrallah accuses Saudi Arabia of 'terrorism'|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/3/hezbollahs-nasrallah-accuses-saudi-arabia-of-terrorism|access-date=2022-01-03|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}} Later on the same day, Lebanese prime minister, Najib Mikati said Nasrallah's criticism of Saudi Arabia did not serve Lebanon's national interest nor represent the country's official stance.{{Cite web|date=2022-01-03|title=Hezbollah's criticism of Saudi Arabia not in Lebanon's interest, says PM|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2022/01/03/hezbollahs-criticism-of-saudi-arabia-not-in-lebanons-interest-says-pm/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=The National}}

On the 7th of April 2022, relations were partially restored with the return of the Saudi Ambassador to Beirut.{{Cite web |title=Saudi announces return of ambassador to Lebanon |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/7/saudi-announces-return-of-ambassador-to-lebanon |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}

On January 8, 2025, Prince Yazid bin Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Farhan, landed in Beirut for an official visit.{{Cite web |title=Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Farhan arrives in Beirut: Sources to LBCI |url=https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/829027/saudi-envoy-prince-yazid-bin-mohammed-bin-fahd-al-farhan-arrives-in-be/en |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=LBCIV7 |language=en}} On 23 January 2025, Saudi foreign minister prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Beirut, the first visit of its kind since 15 years.

In 2001 and 2002, Saudi Arabia pledge to pay $700m in aid, during the Paris II conference to achieve Lebanon's economic development.{{Cite web|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/international-conference-lebanons-reconstruction-international-communitys-economic|title=International conference on Lebanon's reconstruction: The international community's economic aid for Lebanon - Lebanon|website=ReliefWeb}} The remittances from Lebanese expats in the Gulf countries accounted for 10–15% of their country’s GDP from 1990 to 2004.

Following the 2006 Lebanon War, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait deposited $1.5b into Lebanon's central bank to support the Lebanese pound. A year later, Riyadh pledged $1b in aid to Lebanon, during a donor meeting chaired by French President Jacques Chirac. Moreover, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates had accounted 76% of the foreign direct investment projects in Lebanon from 2003 to 2015.{{cite web |url=http://dhaman.net/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/04/Climate-2015-English.pdf |title=Investment Climate in Arab Countries |website=Dhaman Investment Attractiveness Index |page=168 |date=2015 }}{{cite news |last=Baumann |first=Hannes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/12/07/hariri-is-back-as-lebanons-prime-minister-heres-how-saudi-economic-influence-still-shapes-lebanese-politics/ |title=Lebanon's economic dependence on Saudi Arabia is dangerous |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=7 December 2017 }}

In April 2021, Saudi Arabia banned the Lebanese fruit and vegetable imports to Saudi Arabia due to the drug smuggling and after 5.3m captagon pills were found in pomegranates, until receiving guarantees from Lebanon to stop the smuggles.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-23|title=To prevent drug trafficking, Saudi Arabia bans import of Lebanese fruit and vegetables|url=https://arab.news/reemx|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Arab News|language=en}} Then the Lebanese authorities said that they are putting huge efforts to fight drug smuggling and are ready to cooperate in this issue and called for "more cooperation" between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-23|title=Lebanon says it is ready to cooperate to fight drug smuggling after Saudi ban|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanon-says-it-is-ready-cooperate-fight-drug-smuggling-after-saudi-ban-2021-04-23/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=Reuters}} However, Arabian Peninsula states import 55% of Lebanese fruit and vegetable export,{{cite web |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/lebanon/saudi-arabia-bans-lebanese-produce-after-600-million-pills-seized-in-six-years-1.1210296 |title=Saudi Arabia bans Lebanese produce after 600 million pills seized in six years |website=The National News |date=25 April 2021 }} which is worth between $20m and $34m annually.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/28/huge-disaster-lebanese-farmers-decry-saudi-arabian-produce-ban|title='Huge disaster': Lebanese farmers decry Saudi Arabia produce ban|first=Kareem|last=Chehayeb|website=www.aljazeera.com}}

On March 2025 Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited Riyadh in a significant step to strengthen Lebanese-Saudi relations, address political challenges, and thank Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his role in resolving Lebanon’s presidential vacancy. By making Saudi Arabia his first international destination, Aoun highlights the importance of bilateral ties and seeks to enhance economic collaboration. This visit reaffirms the historic partnership between the two nations, dating back to King Abdulaziz’s era, and aims to foster regional stability, economic growth, and cooperative foreign policy initiatives. Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji accompanyied him on the trip, while Lebanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Fawzi Kabbara, joined the delegation upon their arrival in Riyadh.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-02 |title=President Joseph Aoun’s pivotal visit to Riyadh |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2592166 |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Arab News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Lebanons President Aoun departs for Riyadh on official visit |url=https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/841279/lebanons-president-aoun-departs-for-riyadh-on-official-visit/en |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=LBCIV7 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Gebeily |first=Maya |date=28 February 2025 |editor-last=Lewis |editor-first=Aidan |title=Lebanon will ask Saudi Arabia to resume $3-billion grant to army, president says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanon-will-ask-saudi-arabia-resume-3-billion-grant-army-president-says-2025-02-28/ |access-date=4 March 2025 |website=Reuters}}

• Lebanese people in Saudi Arabia

{{reflist}}

{{Foreign relations of Lebanon}}

{{Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia}}

{{Portal bar|Politics|Lebanon|Saudi Arabia}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebanon-Saudi Arabia relations}}

Saudi Arabia

Category:Bilateral relations of Saudi Arabia