Saudi Arabia is to provide Lebanon’s military with a $3 billion grant, ostensibly to help in the fight against terrorism.
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman announced the windfall after the funeral of Mohamad Chatah, a senior Sunni politician who was one of six people killed in a car-bomb attack in Beirut on Friday.
Chatah, a moderate academic and former ambassador, disapproved of the support shown to Syrian President Bashar Assad by Lebanon’s Hizballah, who are Shi‘ite. Chatah was also a critic of Assad.
Saudi Arabia and Hizballah back opposing sides in Syria’s ongoing civil war.
[AP]