Jumblat Lashes Out at Nasrallah, Says Strongly Worded Speech to Harm Lebanon

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat slammed on Sunday criticism by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah against Saudi Arabia, wondering what compelled him to deliver a tensed speech over the offensive in Yemen.

“The strongly worded rhetoric by Nasrallah doesn't benefit anyone,” Jumblat said in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper.

He called for calm and the adoption of the Gulf Initiative that Saudi King Salman is holding onto as an only solution for the conflict in Yemen.

The Gulf Cooperation Council nations, sponsors of the Gulf initiative that provides a road map for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen, which have been rebuffed by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

“Yemen's security is part of the national security of Saudi Arabia and the Firmness Storm is a legitimate right for self-defense,” Jumblat said.

“We back the offensive,” the Druze leader stressed.

Jumblat pointed out that the Iranian support to Iraq... and Syria destroyed the two countries,” wondering if the purpose of Tehran's support to the Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen aims at repeating the same scenario.”

The PSP leader questioned Nasrallah's intentions behind his tense speech against Saudi Arabia, wondering “if he took into consideration the massive repercussions of his statements on around 1.5 million Lebanese expats in Riyadh.”

Jumblat also cited the kingdoms “generous” grants to Lebanon and the reaction of Hizbullah supporters to the criticism of the party's general secretary.

“The king and his wise administration are wise and will not fall in Nasrallah's trap,” he noted, considering that Hizbullah and Iran were shocked by Saudi Arabia's reaction to the criticism.

“Nasrallah cannot authorize to himself actions that he forbids others from carrying out.”

In a televised speech on Friday, Nasrallah launched his harshest criticism yet of Saudi Arabia, blaming the kingdom for the spread of extremist ideology in the Muslim world and the killing of civilians in Yemen.

He told hundreds of supporters at a rally in Beirut southern suburbs organized in support of Huthis that Saudi-led airstrikes targeting them have not led to victory.

Since March 26, the Saudi-led coalition has been pounding the rebels and allied fighters loyal to Yemen's ousted President Saleh.

Nasrallah said that the kingdom will soon realize that "the only choice left" is a ground operation in Yemen — a "ground invasion will be costly and will end with a defeat."

Both the Huthis and Hizbullah are backed by Iran.

Nasrallah called on the Muslim world to pressure the Saudis to end the airstrikes and work for a political solution in Yemen.

However, he said no solution will restore Western-backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi who fled the country as his government crumbled. Saudi officials and the international community say Hadi is the legitimate president of Yemen.

"Time has come for Muslims, Arabs and the Muslim world to tell the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 'Enough,'" said Nasrallah.