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.
As-Safir daily reported on Thursday that the two
brothers, Georges (born in 1973) and Michel (born in 1970) Tanalian, have been detained
by the intelligence branch since Tuesday after committing 12 crimes, 10 murders
and 2 attempted murders.
According to the daily, the two brothers admitted
that they had killed their victims because they did not want their faces to be recognized,
adding that the motive behind these crimes was “only theft.”
The
sources told the daily that, while investigations are ongoing to determine the real
motives behind the 12 crimes, George and Michel pointed fingers as to who the
real shooter was. George accused his brother of committing the crime while
Michel confirmed, sitting in a separate room, that his brother shot all victims
in their heads.
Al-Mustaqbal daily quoted Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on Thursday as saying that discussions during Wednesday’s cabinet session were limited to the electoral quotient and quotas for woman, without agreeing on any specifics.
In turn, Minister of State for Administrative Reform Mohammad Fneish told the daily that Wednesday’s session provided further explanation on the electoral law, adding that ministers did not state their final positions on the law.
As for State Minister Ali Qanso, he confirmed that the Cabinet session did not go beyond general discussions of the law.
Culture Minister Gaby Layyoun described Wednesday’s discussions of the electoral law as “useful”, wondering if there is a political will to adopt proportional representation in the upcoming elections.
An-Nahar daily reported on Thursday that politicians and officials following up on the STL course are debating a “dangerous” report that holds legal-political interpretation of the recent STL hearing session held on November 11.
According to the daily, the report explains that the prosecution is not willing to initiate the proceedings in absentia in a bid to avoid disclosing to the defense the information he holds before investigations are done.
The report added that the prosecution mentioned Hezbollah implicitly during the session when he raised the question “is the ‘delicate situation’ that Judge Said Mirza talked about linked to a certain organization’s threat to cut the hand that reaches the suspects?
The report added that it is likely that the Tribunal will decide to shelve the in absentia proceedings at the request of General Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare and the Defense for each has his own reasons.
Al-Liwaa daily quoted parliamentary sources on Thursday as saying that PM Najib Mikati held a private meeting with Head of the Administration and Justice Parliamentary Committee MP Robert Ghanem on the sidelines of a dinner he hosted in the Grand Serail in honor of the regulatory bodies.
The sources said that Mikati told Ghanem that his “resignation will be ready” if his allies in the cabinet, notably Hezbollah, Amal movement and the FPM, will not be convinced of the importance of funding the STL.
The sources told the daily that Mikati’s position is endorsed by the National Struggle Front and President Michel Sleiman’s ministers who believe that the current developments in the region cannot withstand any international measures or sanctions against Lebanon.
In this context, Gulf diplomatic sources revealed to the daily that ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states reproached Mikati, saying that the explanations he provided on Lebanon’s position at the Arab League did not convince anyone.
An-Nahar daily reported on Thursday that the foreign ministry was notified by the permanent mission of Lebanon to the United Nations that the Security Council will discuss Ban Ki-Moon’s 17th report.
In this context, official sources criticized the number of matters that Ban required of the Lebanese government.
The sources criticized Ban’s appeal to Lebanon and Israel to implement Resolution 1701, mainly to reach a permanent cease fire and a long-term solution between the two states by leveraging “the strategic atmosphere” resulting from LAF-UNIFIL cooperation. The sources said that Ban has thereby ignored the Security Council’s role in removing the barriers that prevent the resolution from coming into effect.
Al-Hayat daily reported on Thursday that PM Najib Mikati held a meeting with National Struggle Front Leader MP Walid Jumblatt during which he urged him to understand Lebanon’s position at the Arab League and to clean up the mess it caused domestically.
Jumblatt’s ministers announced that they will raise the issue of Lebanon’s position in the Arab League amid declarations that it was taken upon pressure exerted on Mikati.
Lebanon voted on Saturday against Syria’s suspension from the Arab League.