Political Storm after Journalist 'Insults' Kuwait's Emir on al-Manar

Political leaders have scrambled to contain possible repercussions from a journalist's remarks on Hizbullah's al-Manar TV that were deemed insulting to Kuwait and its emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah.

“This journalist's remarks represent a fabrication of facts and an attempt to mislead the public opinion through claims that are far from the truth,” Kuwait's information ministry said in a statement.

“These insults reflect evil intentions and malicious motives that will not harm the brotherly and historic ties between Lebanon and Kuwait,” the ministry added.

In an interview on al-Manar, the journalist Salem Zahran, who is close to Hizbullah, claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump has forced Kuwait's emir to cancel oil contracts worth $11 billion with China and to sign similar contracts with the United States.

“Kuwait's emir went to the U.S. to undergo medical checkups and he suddenly received a call from the White House and I'm quoting a senior diplomat. They informed him of a meeting with President Donald Trump that lasted five minutes, during which Trump asked Kuwait's emir to cancel oil contracts worth $11 billion with China and to sign the same contracts with the U.S. The signing occurred the next day and they told the Emir that a certain lawyer's office would charge him $50 million to follow up on the cancellation of the contracts,” Zahran said.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri condemned the remarks and tasked State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud with probing the content of the interview. Kuwait's ambassador visited Hariri later in the day and stressed that Kuwait's relation with Lebanon will not be affected, while hinting that Zahran's backers had pushed him to voice such remarks.

Zahran welcomed the legal move and said he would “bear the full responsibility if the content deserves being sued.”

Speaker Nabih Berri meanwhile issued a statement rejecting “any insult to Kuwait and its emir.”

“The Lebanese will always express gratitude to Kuwait and its emir, people, government and National Assembly, who extended their hands to Lebanon during the difficult and the good days,” Berri said.

Al-Manar television for its part issued a statement distancing itself from Zahran's remarks.

“What was said about Kuwait in one of the interviews does not at all reflect al-Manar's stance but rather that of the person who voiced his opinion. Al-Manar is also keen on stressing that it has always appreciated and greatly respected Kuwait's emir, government and people,” the TV network said.

“The attempt by some opportunists to turn the remarks of al-Manar's guest into a problem with Kuwait is a harmful act whose objectives are well-known,” al-Manar added.

The Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party also condemned Zahran's remarks.

The LF also called on the Lebanese judiciary to “take the appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such an incident.”

The PSP meanwhile blasted “a systematic policy aimed at insulting Lebanon's friends,” calling on whom it described as “the thugs of journalism” to “stop their cheap and destructive approach.”