Press Digest for Thursday November 07, 2013

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. 

• Ministry of Telecommunication addresses Israeli spy posts on border-sources

Sources told Al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday that a committee was formed last August which included representatives of the Ministry of Telecommunication and the Lebanese Armed Forces in order to discuss Israel's espionage posts on the border.

Sources added that the committee inspected the Lebanese-Israeli border several times, noting that it detected various spying posts in different villages.

According to the Daily, the same sources asserted that a meeting will be held at the Ministry of Telecommunication with the concerned authorities in this regard.

• Future MP Jamal Jarrah: Results of meeting with FPM's MPs are "unpredictable"

Future bloc MP Jamal Jarrah told An-Nahar newspaper on Thursday that the results of the meeting set to be held between MPs of both the Change and Reform bloc and the Future bloc will be hard to predict.

He also hoped that the participants of the meeting will reach a common ground over disputed internal issues.

For his part, Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun told the Daily that the meeting aims at ending the "political paralysis" in the country.

He added that the formation of the new government will be discussed during the said meeting.

• LAF undertakes further security measures in Tripoli

A security source told Al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday that the measures undertaken by the Lebanese Armed Forces in Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabbaneh came as a result of three main reasons:

- Protect the army’s checkpoints which are being repeatedly targeted by unknown assailants

- Take precautionary measures on the Maloula highway in anticipation of any clashes that may take place on Friday since the residents of Jabal Mohsen are due to cross this road if they insist on holding a demonstration.

- Reduce the risk of robberies and aggressions against citizens, mainly after 6 workers from Jabal Mohsen were attacked by others from Bab al-Tabbaneh on Saturday.

• President Sleiman to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday- sources

Sources told As-Safir Daily that President Michel Sleiman is due to visit on Monday the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he will meet with Saudi King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz and senior Saudi officials.

Talks will feature high on bilateral relations, the Lebanese and Syrian files as well as the latest developments in the region.

As well, President Sleiman is set to visit Kuwait, between the 18th and 20th of November, where he will attend the Arab-African Summit.