The Saudi ambassador to Beirut, Walid Boukhari, meeting with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai in Bkerke on Nov. 19, 2024. Photo taken from the Maronite Patriarchate's X account.
Is this yet another political comeback for Saudi Arabia? This question arises each time the kingdom’s ambassador to Beirut, Walid Boukhari, becomes active and engages with various political players. Such has been the case at least since 2016, when Riyadh, previously seen as a key player on the local political scene, began gradually withdrawing amid its regional standoff with Tehran. While the Beijing agreement, signed on March 10, 2023, between the two powers allowed Saudi Arabia to send some signals to Lebanon (notably within the Quintet — the Saudi, American, French, Egyptian and Qatari powers involved in the presidential dossier), this time, the resurgence of Walid Boukhari’s politico-diplomatic activity carries a different weight. It comes amid the tense backdrop of the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah — a conflict in which...
Is this yet another political comeback for Saudi Arabia? This question arises each time the kingdom’s ambassador to Beirut, Walid Boukhari, becomes active and engages with various political players. Such has been the case at least since 2016, when Riyadh, previously seen as a key player on the local political scene, began gradually withdrawing amid its regional standoff with Tehran. While the Beijing agreement, signed on March 10, 2023, between the two powers allowed Saudi Arabia to send some signals to Lebanon (notably within the Quintet — the Saudi, American, French, Egyptian and Qatari powers involved in the presidential dossier), this time, the resurgence of Walid Boukhari’s politico-diplomatic activity carries a different weight. It comes amid the tense backdrop of the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah — a conflict in...
