Beirut: Following tensions that arose after a trained group of rioters stormed Al Sharq Al Awsat’s Beirut offices — to protest a cartoon deemed insulting to Lebanon — fresh threats against the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri, prompted the chancellery to adopt new security measures.
According to the generally well-informed Al Nahar daily, extra measures were adopted to what are strictly enforced access limitations on Bliss Street, near the American University of Beirut. Imposing stone barriers that are manned by the Internal Security Forces prevent any vehicle from approaching the embassy building, and visitors are screened via airport-style scanners, before they can gain access to inner grounds. A large vacant lot next to the embassy, a former parking lot, is permanently closed to prevent potential car bombings.
Although most of security measures around the Saudi Embassy were imposed after the chancellery moved from the Raouche district a few years ago, recent tensions between Lebanon and Gulf states added to current woes, with no end in sight to reactions and counter-reactions. On Friday, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television news channel closed its office in the capital citing security reasons, even if no palpable threats were reported against the network.
Wary Lebanese are seriously concerned that lack of a formal apology from Foreign Minister Jibran Bassil — following his abstention during an Arab League vote that condemned the torching of the Saudi embassy in Tehran last January — will further widen the gulf that separates Beirut from GCC capitals.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam is expected to meet with Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in Turkey to patch things up, although his wish to embark on a GCC tour failed to materialise.
For now, Riyadh and its GCC partners have identified the Iran-backed Hezbollah party as a terrorist organisation, which complicates matters for the Lebanese. Despite severe measures taken against Beirut, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah continues virulent criticisms of the Kingdom and all GCC States that is deemed unacceptable. Many fear manipulated protesters can attack GCC-owned facilities, torch them and, worse, injure of kill residents.
