On Tuesday evening, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry asked the Lebanese ambassador in Cairo, Ali al-Halaby, to provide an explanation for offensive statements made by Lebanese Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe against Gulf countries. Wehbe suggested, in televised statements on Monday, that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries were behind the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The statements have received widespread backlash from Middle Eastern countries and prompted Wehbe to ask to resign. He added that Wehbe’s statements were inconsistent with the simplest diplomatic norms and the historical relations between the GCC countries and Lebanon. Lebanon’s president Michel Auon apologized for Wehbe’s comments on Tuesday, stating that they do not reflect official policy and are merely the minister’s personal opinion.

Source: Egypt Independent May 19, 2021 09:00 UTC