Name? George Kurdahi
Westphalian identity? Lebanese
Age? 71
Why is he in the news? Lebanon’s Information Minister, Kurdahi, recently came under fire for labeling the war in Yemen a Saudi and Emirati “aggression..in which Houthi rebels were defending themselves,” This led Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their respective allies Bahrain and Kuwait to pull their ambassadors from Beirut.
Why do we care? Because not only did Kurdahi make the comments before he was inducted as Information Minister, but he is also a rather minor minister…the fact that his comments have led to such a diplomatic crisis in which the UAE has banned its citizens from visiting Lebanon only emphasizes the country’s vulnerability to its more powerful, wealthy neighbors and their personal preferences.
Why should you care? This only adds to the ongoing financial, political, and increasingly humanitarian crises in Lebanon. With fuel shortages leading to long lasting blackouts and rapid inflation leaving a vast majority of the country in poverty, Lebanese citizens desperately need the funds and resources of the oil-rich Gulf states. You should care 7/10 about the survival of a nation resting on the words of one minister.
Who else cares? Lebanese President Michel Aoun. Recognizing the intensity of the reaction, President Aoun called an emergency meeting with other Lebanese leaders to resolve the diplomatic crisis and reestablish relations with the Gulf States. Unfortunately for Aoun, the simplest solution in which Kurdahi resigns is “out of the question” according to the Information Minister…
Any further comments? Though Kurdahi’s comments are likely to put the lid on his short-lived political career, the former Who wants to be a millionaire? host seemingly has some fans in the Iran-backed Hezbollah. In fact, following the circulation of Kurdahi’s controversial comments, Hezbollah released a statement in which they described the minister as a “brave and noble man.” Considering the influence Hezbollah often holds over Lebanese politics, it seems Kurdahi may have a strong political career after all.
