RIYADH - A Saudi television appeal has raised at least 120 million riyals ($32 million) for Lebanon, where Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas have been fighting for more than two weeks, state media said on Thursday. The money gathered during the day-long telethon, which lasted until the early hours of Thursday, included 10 million riyals from King Abdullah and 5 million riyals from Crown Prince Sultan, the state news agency SPA said.| Toss a little money in the kitty and the rubes will follow along ... |
Saudi Arabia has played a key role in supporting the Lebanese economy since 1990 and made clear it wants to maintain that role once the fighting has ended, partly to challenge the influence Iran exerts through its funding of Hezbollah.