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AFP: Saudi points finger at Hezbollah in Lebanon crisis

Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia has indirectly accused Hezbollah of provoking Israel's onslaught on Lebanon, distancing itself from the Shiite militant movement amid fears of a wider regional conflict.

While not explicitly naming the Lebanese Shiite militia, a Saudi official source quoted by the official SPA news agency on Thursday accused certain elements of "adventurism" that put all Arab nations at risk.

The Saudi position is aimed at preventing the Middle East from sliding into yet another destructive war and at upholding Arab interests, Mohammad al-Zalfa, a member of the appointed Shura (consultative) Council, said Friday.

"It is necessary to make a distinction between legitimate resistance (to occupation) and irresponsible adventurism adopted by certain elements within the state and taken without its knowledge," and without coordination and consultation with Arab countries, the official source said.

"These elements... risk putting in danger all the Arab countries and their achievements before these countries have said a word," the source added.
The source did not explicitly name Hezbollah, whose capture of two Israeli soldiers on Wednesday with the stated aim of swapping them with Lebanese held by Israel sparked the Israeli offensive.

Riyadh's stand tallied with that of the Lebanese government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, which has denied any involvement in the Hezbollah action. Siniora has maintained the close ties with Saudi Arabia forged by his slain mentor, former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri.

"There is no doubt that the sides that will not be pleased by the kingdom's rational position will attribute it to US pressure. But the kingdom's stand on critical issues has been clear for a long time, and it boils down to trying to spare the region more woes," Zalfa told AFP.