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On November 30, 2021, Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) aired an interview with Lebanese President Michel Aoun. President Aoun said that Hizbullah represents one third of the Lebanese population, and that it has done nothing wrong and has not hurt anybody within Lebanese territory. He said that Hizbullah has respected local laws and that it has fully adhered to U.N. Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of militias in Lebanon. Later in the interview, President Aoun was asked if Information Minister George Kurdahi, whose recent statements have caused a crisis of relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, is being asked to resign from his position, like former Lebanese Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe had been asked to resign after making statements that similarly inflamed Lebanon's relations with other Arab countries (see MEMRITV clip no 8857). President Aoun remained silent and did not answer the question.
President Michel Aoun: "Hizbullah represents one third of the Lebanese people. Hizbullah hasn’t done anything wrong on Lebanese soil. Ever since I was elected President in 2017, Hizbullah has abided by [U.N.] Resolution 1701, and has not violated it. In addition, since 2017, there have been no security-related issues caused by Hizbullah on Lebanese soil, neither at the individual level nor the organizational level. So Hizbullah is abiding by all of Lebanon’s laws on Lebanese soil – like all of us, of course. It hasn’t hurt anyone on Lebanese soil, including citizens of countries that consider [Hizbullah] to be a terrorist organization. This should ease the mind of anyone who visits in Lebanon.
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"[Former] Lebanese Foreign Minister..."
Journalist: "Charbel Wehbe."
Aoun: "Charbel Wehbe appeared on Al-Hurra TV alongside a Saudi journalist who insulted me.
Journalist: "He was asked to resign."
Aoun: "What?"
Journalist: "Charbel Wehbe was asked to resign."
Aoun: "What happened to the journalist who mocked me and insulted me? Has anyone done anything to him? No. But [Wehbe] was asked to do what was necessary, and he was asked to resign his position."
Journalist: "Is this also being asked of Information Minister Georges Kurdahi? Should he also [resign]?"
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