Lebanese Sources: Saudi Arabia and UAE Fund Media Campaigns to Discredit Hezbollah

According to the Lebanese newspaper “Al-Akhbar,” known for its closeness to Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have begun funding a number of channels, newspapers, and websites, as well as several journalists, as part of what is described as an “organized campaign” aimed at portraying Hezbollah as a diminished force and emphasizing the “necessity of disarmament.”

The newspaper confirmed that “this campaign is sponsored by the American Embassy in Beirut, which relies on escalating hostile rhetoric against Hezbollah and promoting the possibility of its defeat in any conflict.”

Additionally, the American Embassy has activated a media committee directly associated with it, aiming to disseminate a narrative designed to demoralize the public and stir up strife.

In the same context, a number of scattered political sources have indicated the existence of “an American campaign aimed at intimidating Lebanese officials in the government and in security and military apparatuses,” while warning of the “consequences of cooperating with Hezbollah in domestic issues.”

According to the same newspaper, this campaign threatens to deny any official who cooperates with Hezbollah access to official positions or benefits from state privileges.

Meanwhile, the Americans are ensuring officials adhere to this directive by emphasizing that they are not seeking a public confrontation or direct opposition to Hezbollah, but are merely demanding a cessation of cooperation with it and ignoring its officials’ communications or requests.

It should be noted that Saudi and Emirati relations with Hezbollah are strained due to accusations that the latter acts as Iran’s arm in Lebanon.

Despite this, a visit described as “historic” was made by Hezbollah’s head of liaison and coordination, Wafiq Safa, to the UAE on March 19th to discuss the case of seven Lebanese detained in the Emirates for years on charges of communicating with the group.

According to the Lebanese newspaper, the transfer of a senior Hezbollah official by private plane from Beirut to Abu Dhabi, despite the UAE listing it as a terrorist organization since 2014, marked an unusual event, especially given the history of mutual accusations between Hezbollah and the UAE regarding relations with the Israeli occupation state.

In recent years, the former Director General of Public Security, Abbas Ibrahim, has played the role of mediator in the detainees’ case, working to resolve its security and humanitarian dimensions between the UAE and Hezbollah.

Approximately 11 detainees were released in 2021, and in mid-2023, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry announced the release of about 10 Lebanese after being held for two months, following weeks after the death of the Lebanese, Ghazi Az Al-Din, in Emirati prisons.