Lebanese Hezbollah 'threatens Arab security,' says Saudi envoy

By Naim Burjawi

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AA) - Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Lebanon accused Hezbollah of threatening Arab national security.

Speaking to the Saudi Okaz newspaper on Thursday, Walid Bukhari said the Lebanese group's "activities and behavior constitute a threat to the Arab national security."

"The insistence of the terrorist Hezbollah to impose its control over the will of the (Lebanese) state and its constitutional institutions disrupt peace and security in Lebanon," Bukhari added.

He underlined the need to stop Hezbollah's hegemony over the Lebanese state and to end its possession of arms which it uses outside the scope of the state.

Hezbollah has yet to comment on the Saudi envoy's remarks.

On Monday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah attacked Saudi Arabia's monarch and accused the kingdom of exporting and spreading "Islamic extremist ideology."

"The terrorist is the one who sent thousands of Saudis to conduct suicide operations in Iraq and Syria, and it's you," Nasrallah said, referring to King Salman bin Abdul Aziz.

Nasrallah's comments came in response to comments by King Salman, who also described Hezbollah as a "terrorist" group and called for an end to its control of Lebanon.

For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati distanced his government from Nasrallah's remarks and said they did not reflect the Lebanese government's official position, nor that of a broad part of the Lebanese population.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara