The separate appeals came after the king returned to Riyadh from Morocco on Wednesday after a period of post-surgery recuperation.

“The Arab world and the Islamic world are in dire need for the Saudi king’s wisdom and foresight to strengthen solidarity among the Arab and Muslim peoples,” Qabbani said in a statement.

Alongside these statements are reports that Syrian President Bashar Assad is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet the king. Informed sources in Damascus said that it would be a congratulatory visit by Assad.

They also added that the two leaders would address the political developments that have taken place in the Arab world during the past three months, including the situation in Lebanon.

Qabbani, in his statement, called on the king to intensify his attention to Lebanon, “to play his leading role with a great hope for the continuation and intensification of the king’s generous attention to the Lebanese crisis.” Qabbani added that Abdullah’s role to resolve the Lebanese crisis was essential. “We are confident that King Abdullah will not hesitate to help Lebanon emerge from its current political crisis,” he said in his statement.

Saudi Arabia and Syria coordinated their efforts last year in a bid to find a solution to the Lebanese crisis.

However, the Saudi-Syrian initiative reached a dead end. Prime Minister Saad Hariri has blamed Hezbollah for the collapse of reconciliation efforts.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said “US pressure” was to blame for the failure of the Saudi-Syrian initiative.

In an interview with LBC1 TV Thursday night, Jumblatt said the Americans were using the issue in their bid to destroy Hezbollah.