The
following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press.
LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language
readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab
world.
Al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday that
the Change and Reform bloc meeting on Tuesday saw harsh criticism addressed by
some of the bloc’s members to Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas’ performance,
particularly with regards to the wage hike issue.
One of the
bloc’s members said that the debate between Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud and
Nahhas heated up, prompting some ministers and MPs to take sides, especially
when discussions touched on Nahhas’ new electoral law, which requires
discussion at cabinet.
The members
added that during the heated debate, Abboud accused Nahhas of sparking class
struggle and pitting workers and employees against their employers.
- Mikati:
Nahhas facing 5 options, one of which is my resignation
An-Nahar
daily reported on Wednesday that PM Najib Mikati revealed during a special
session that Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas should adopt one of the five exits
for the “complex of signing the transportation and school allowances.”
The daily
added that, according to Mikati, “the first exit lies in signing both decrees
and the problem will then be over. However, if he refuses to do so, he can opt
for the second exit which lies in travelling for one day allowing thereby his
acting Labor Minister Nicolas Fattouch to sign the decrees. As for the third
exit, Nahhas will have to renounce the labor portfolio as part of a consensus
on a partial switch of portfolios. If Nahhas will not agree on any of these
exits, then he will have to submit his resignation, or we will have to go for
the fifth exit which will be my resignation.”
Al-Liwaa
daily reported on Wednesday that Hezbollah Leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is
likely to comment, during his Thursday appearance, on the speech delivered on
Tuesday by former PM Saad Hariri given that the party’s leadership has delved
into assessing the speech and the options of responding or not, as the final
position remains unclear.
The daily
added that the ministerial situation might take a big share of Nasrallah’s
speech, especially in light of the discontent voiced by Speaker Nabih Berri
over the situation in addition to his disgruntlement over General Aoun’s
demands for the Christian quota in appointments which “also targets the quota
for Muslims” as Berri said.
Al-Liwaa daily quoted well-informed sources on
Wednesday as saying that Change and reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun has been
repeating during his private meetings that the main problem is with PM Najib
Mikati “who has seemingly decided to impose himself as a Sunnite reference
rather than a leader of a coalition government.”
According to
Aoun’s visitors, the FPM leader considers that Mikati’s attitude violates the
agreement reached with him before his appointment as Aoun confirmed that he was
uncomfortable with Mikati’s nomination in the first place.
Meanwhile,
Rabieh’s visitors quoted Aoun as saying that the U.S. plan to keep Lebanon in a
vicious circle will fail, adding that Lebanon is the U.S. next target after
Syria.
Political
sources from Tripoli to
Al-Joumhouria daily that the Islamist atmosphere in
Tripoli is extremely tense due to the events in Syria.
Information
made available to the daily revealed that the Islamic Fundamentalist Movements
have gained strength ever since the LAF arrested a sheikh from “Al Hussein”
family.
According to
the same information, though the sheikh was released thanks to the prime
minister’s efforts, the movements were lured by the euphoria of victory thinking
that they managed to impose their will, which will prompt them to take it to the
streets more frequently.