Press Digest for Sunday August 18, 2013

4^min

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.

Arsal’s vice-mayor: We cooperate with government to hold accountable all security violators

The vice-Mayor of the Lebanese border town of Arsal Ahmad Fliti stressed that Arsal is not obstinate and is ready to cooperate with Lebanese security apparatuses in order to control the situation.

Flaiti told Acharq al-Awsat Daily that every security violator in Arsal must be arrested, noting that the town’s residents will accept the results of the investigations conducted by the Intelligence branch.

Mansour: Video of Um al-Mou'minin was used to create sectarian sedition

Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour described the Roueis explosion as a “humanitarian massacre”, noting that the location of the incident is near his mother’s house where he often goes for visits.

In a statement to an-Nahar Newspaper, Mansour said that the attack does not target one sect or party, but it is a strike against the entire country and aims at destabilizing Lebanon and breaking the unity of its people, stressing that whoever is responsible for the attack will not hesitate in repeating it, not only in the Beirut Southern Suburbs, but in several regions in order to create chaos and panic.

Commenting on the video released depicting a group calling itself Aisha Um al-Mou'minin and claiming responsibility of the attack, Mansour said: “This video was used to create a sectarian sedition, and this group will strike again turning Lebanon into an unsafe place overshadowed by panic and fear.”

On the issue of the abduction of the Turkish pilots, the caretaker minister said that the efforts are being exerted in this regard, hoping that the case will be settled through visits of Turkish officials to Lebanon and vice versa. He pointed out that the time has come to find solutions to all the pending issues especially the file of the Lebanese hostages held in Aazaz.

However, Mansour said that Israel is always present through the terrorist cells and spying networks planted in Lebanon, stressing the need “not to ever believe that Israel, as an enemy, will put an end to its current actions.”

Upcoming days will not bring any positive surprise - sources

Al-Hayat Daily quoted well-informed sources as saying that the upcoming days will not bring any “surprise” aiming at intensifying the discussions.

The sources added that this crisis witnessed by Lebanon is caused mainly by the failure of forming a new cabinet due to the conditions imposed by each political party that brought the consultations held by the Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam back to zero.