Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE summoned their Lebanese ambassadors to hand them a note of protest against the statements made by the Lebanese Minister of Information, George Kordahi, regarding the war in Yemen.
The Bahraini Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the Lebanese ambassador to Manama and handed him a protest note expressing its strong condemnation of the statements.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry also summoned the Lebanese ambassador to Riyadh, to hand him an official protest note against what it considered "offensive statements" by Qardahi.
The Emirates News Agency stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation summoned the Lebanese ambassador to Abu Dhabi and informed him of its protest and denunciation of Qardahi's statements.
In turn, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry summoned the Lebanese Chargé d'Affairs to protest Qardahi's statements regarding the Saudi-Emirati role in Yemen.
Qardahi made his statements while hosting the "Parliament Shaab" program, a community television program that began broadcasting on Al Jazeera's electronic platforms in 2020.
'A vain war'
During his hosting of the program last Monday, Qardahi described the war in Yemen as absurd, and said that it must stop, and described what the Houthis are doing in self-defense.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Nayef Al-Hajraf, had called on Qardahi to apologize for statements in which he accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of attacking Yemen, and said that they reflected a short understanding and a superficial reading of the events.
Al-Hajraf also called on the Lebanese government to clarify its position on Qardahi's statements he made to a television program before he took over the Ministry of Information, but it was broadcast recently.
Commenting on what these statements provoked, Kordahi said that no one should dictate to the Lebanese what to do about whether or not a minister remains in the government, adding that he is part of an integrated government, and he cannot take a decision to resign on his own.
Qardahi pointed out that his interview, which sparked controversy, was filmed on the fifth of August, weeks before his appointment as a minister, stressing that his positions in that interview towards Syria, Palestine and the Gulf are personal opinions, and do not bind the government.
Qardahi stressed that he is against Arab-Arab wars, and that what he said about Yemen is an expression of friendship with these countries, rejecting his accusation of hostility to Saudi Arabia.
And the Lebanese Minister of Information added, "I did not mean in any way to offend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or the Emirates, whose leadership and people I love and dedicate to my people."
It does not reflect the position of the government.
Commenting on the statements, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement, that the words issued by Qardahi do not reflect the position of the Lebanese government that adheres to brotherly ties with Arab countries.
For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that he discussed with President Michel Aoun Qardahi's statements, before he was appointed as a minister in the current government.
After the meeting, Mikati stressed his keenness and President Aoun to maintain good relations with Arab countries.
He said that he and his government "are keen to weave the best relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and condemn any interference in its internal affairs from any party or party."
It is noteworthy that the Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out military operations in Yemen since March 2015 in support of the legitimate forces, in the face of the Houthis who have controlled governorates, including the capital, Sanaa, since September 2014, after they seized power by force.