Turkey offers $1.1 million in military aid to Lebanon

Turkey expressed its  willingness to provide Lebanon with military aid worth $1.1 million,  National News Agency reported.

This comes after the suspension  by   Saudi Arabia of the  $4 billion aid  package to the Lebanese army,

Turkish ambassador to Lebanon Cagatay Erciyes told Defense Minister Samir Moqbel that his country is ready to “continue to support Lebanon and its army,” NNA said.

“The Turkish government has decided to provide military aid worth $ 1.1 million to meet the needs of the Lebanese army, and to include Lebanon within a program to provide military aid to foreign militaries,” the ambassador pointed.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia halted a $4 billion program for military supplies to Lebanon in protest against Hezbollah’s policies and recent diplomatic stances by the Lebanese foreign ministry.

Commenting  on the Turkish offer one military analyst  familiar with  Saudi grants told Ya Libnan: “We Lebanese are of course grateful for any help we can get , but this is peanuts in comparison to the Saudi grant of 4 billion . Perhaps this will suit the monkeys of Lebanon better …this is what they deserve.   Poor Lebanon  has to suffer because  of such politicians that don’t give a damn about their country.  Unfortunately  we lost the opportunity to have a properly  equipped  army and worse, we are now going to face a real  existential threat because of that. Thanks to Hezbollah Lebanon is heading to a real catastrophic  future . We lost the Tourism sector, we lost the arms for the army  and now our banking sector is going to suffer after a  major Saudi Arabian  bank decided to pull out .”

Former prime minister and Future Movement leader Saad al-Hariri  held the Iranian-backed Hezbollah  militant group and its ally the Free Patriotic Movement responsible for the Saudi military aid halt, reiterating that fiery rhetoric targeting Saudi Arabia is totally rejected and does not represent Lebanon’s policy.

“Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement are to blame for the suspension in Saudi aid,” said Hariri after a meeting  with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Deryan at Dar el-Fatwa on Saturday.

“Lebanon must put its position straight regarding the attacks that targeted the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran. Fiery statements offending the Kingdom are rejected and do not represent the policy of Lebanon,” he added stressing that even the Supreme leader of Iran condemned the attacks and apologized to the kingdom

“Khameni himself has apologized for the assault while (Foreign Minister Gebran) Bassil distanced himself,” Hariri pointed out.

Bassil is the  newly appointed leader of the Free patriotic Movement , a close ally of Hezbollah