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.
Hezbollah Secretary
General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed that the campaigns launched against
him and his party will not affect the course of their work, expressing relief toward
the situation in Lebanon and the region as he confirmed that despite all
escalatory movements, the outcome of the current events will serve the
Resistance’s benefit.
According to
as-Safir
Daily, Nasrallah reassured his party’s leaderships and personnel, during a
closed meeting, that the upcoming days will prove the soundness of the
choices made over the past two years, whether it was concerning the situation
in Lebanon or in Syria.
On another note,
Nasrallah stressed that the relations with Hamas Movement are steady, ruling out
the rumors stating that Hamas fighters are participating in the Syrian war.
Accordingly, Nasrallah considered
that the political and field developments are moving toward a better stage,
noting that the Iranian presidential elections presented the best example of
popular democracy in the Islamic Republic.
The US Deputy Secretary
of State William Burns declared that the US Secretary of State John Kerry
informed Lebanese President Michel Sleiman that Washington will not
hesitate in taking the necessary measures, whether it was on the political or
diplomatic levels, in cooperation with the states “friends of Lebanon” to
protect Lebanon’s sovereignty.
In a statement to
an-Nahar Newspaper, Burns noted there are essential steps to be taken in
order to deal with the issue of the refugees, pointing out that the Syrian
events represent a heavy burden on Lebanon.
Source close to the
Presidency of the Republic told
as-Safir Daily that President Michel Sleiman
regrets the ongoing political divisions which are acquiring sectarian aspects
due to the lack of constructive communications aiming at promoting confidence
between the Lebanese parties, stressing that it is unacceptable that the
Lebanese people surrender to the repercussions of the regional events.
The sources added that
the President is insisting on resuming dialogue sessions as the most viable solution
to the ongoing crises, in a bid to reach political agreement and to prevent
further security and political challenges resulting from the regional developments,
stressing the need to commit to the dissociation policy in order to keep
Lebanon away from regional conflicts, mainly the Syrian war.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed that he
trusts Speaker Nabih Berri in finding a solution to the current problem, noting
that Berri did not exceed his prerogatives by calling for a parliamentary
session to be held.
“Berri helped me in overcoming the obstacles I faced,
mainly when he came up with a settlement to fund the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon, and I believe that he succeeded in dealing with all kinds of troubles,”
Mikati told
as-Safir Daily.
On the other hand, Mikati said that in case the Parliament
is able to legislate when the cabinet is resigned and in the absence of a new
cabinet, “then the presence of cabinets in Lebanon is useless,” he stated.
Al-Joumhouria Daily reported that Hezbollah’s coordination
official Hajj Toufic Safa called the head of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel
Aoun asking him for an explanation regarding his latest positions, pointing out that
Aoun repeated what he had previously announced.
In this context, Aoun had declared that he is reconsidering
his relations with his allies, regardless of the strategic alliance with
Hezbollah.