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.
Caretaker
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stressed that the Central Security Council has
drafted a security plan for the northern city of Tripoli, adding that its
implementation has kicked off.
In a
statement to
al-Liwaa Daily, Charbel said that the plan is composed of two
parts, one aiming at protecting Tripoli from the outside by preventing
suspicious vehicles from accessing the city, while the second part will be
aiming at protecting the city’s streets.
However,
the second part of the plan, which has not yet been implemented, will soon be announced by caretaker Prime Minister Najib
Mikati, according to the agreement reached during the security meeting recently held at the
Grand Serail in the presence of representatives of the Lebanese security
apparatuses and Tripoli's ministers and deputies.
Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour
said that the proposal discussed with the vice president of the World Bank in
the Middle East and North Africa Inger Andersen, and which aims at establishing
a trust fund to help Lebanon handle the burden of the Syrian refugees, requires
several months to be finalized, stressing that Lebanon is in dire need for assistance
on the educational and health levels.
In a statement to
an-Nahar Newspaper, Abou Faour
stressed the need to launch the fourth stage of the National Program to Support the Poorest Families in Lebanon
implemented by the ministry in cooperation with the Canadian and Italian
embassies, as well as the World Bank.
“Lebanon cannot stand idly by
while the social requirements are becoming increasingly difficult,” the
caretaker minister stated.
In this context, Abou Faour
noted that the international atmosphere is not promising, pointing out that
there are no signs indicating that the Lebanese government will receive
assistance anytime soon.
The United Nations Undersecretary General for
Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman praised the efforts deployed by Lebanese
President Michel Sleiman in order to maintain relative stability in the
country.
“Lebanon is witnessing several internal crises,
such as the explosions that targeted Tripoli and Beirut's Southern Suburb as well
as the sectarian tensions in the country,” Feltman noted, stressing that
preventing Lebanon from being dragged into the Syrian conflict must be regarded
as “an important accomplishment”.
In a statement to
Acharq al-Awsat, Feltman said
that the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon recognized the risks
threatening Lebanon’s stability and the huge burden imposed on it by the Syrian
refugees whose number has exceeded 900 thousand, adding that the Secretary General
seeks to kick off an operation to attract further support for Lebanon.
He explained that the support must target mainly the
Lebanese security forces who deploy strong efforts to protect the country, and
the Lebanese families hosting the Syrian refugees.
Commenting on Hezbollah’s intervention in the
Syrian war, Feltman stressed the difficulty of the situation, noting that the
United Nations Security Council supports President Sleiman’s dissociation
policy, deeming it the sole means to distance Lebanon from conflict.
He added that fighters have interfered in the
Syrian crisis to support both sides, the regime and the opposition, stressing
that Sleiman was brave enough to stand against the intervention, whether it
was from Hezbollah or the Sunni groups.
“This situation encouraged the International
Support Group for Lebanon to seek help for the Lebanese Armed Forces, who have
succeeded in preventing the battles from being transported into the Lebanese territories,”
he said, concluding that Hezbollah’s intervention in Syria does not help
Lebanon.
Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour stressed that he
has been following up on the issue of the Lebanese oil reserves, stressing that Lebanon will protect its
rights in accordance with international law.
Mansour told
al-Joumhouria Newspaper that the Israelis are
extracting oil from Lebanon’s offshore reserves, stressing that such a
statement will be soon proved to the world through international diplomatic
channels.
“Lebanon will not give up its rights and the Israeli threats
will be fruitless,” Mansour said.