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.
Military sources stressed that the new security plan set up to be implemented in the northern city of Tripoli was prepared by the Lebanese Armed Forces Chief General Jean Qahwaji, adding that the plan calls for responding to any sources of fire.
The sources told
al-Joumhouria Daily that the army command refuses to be subject to the dictations of the politicians ruling in the region, stressing that the army is the only institution concerned with protecting the citizens’ security and the city’s stability.
In this context, the Daily reported that the preparations kicked off in order to deploy security forces across the city of Tripoli, mainly in the region of Bab al-Tebbaneh and its neighboring streets where 1000 members of the Internal Security Forces will take position.
Sources close to the Future Movement stressed that the participation of former PM Saad Hariri in the Lebanese – Saudi summit was not a surprise, revealing that the Saudi authorities had informed Baabda of his presence.
In this context, President Michel Sleiman welcomed Hariri during the meeting, where local and regional matters were thoroughly discussed.
Another source told
al-Joumhouria Newspaper that Riyadh sought, through Hariri’s participation, to stress the need to reach moderation among the Sunnis and other confessions, as well as to indicate the importance of Hariri’s position in the Kingdom.
The source noted that “Saudi Arabia also wanted to send a message to the Lebanese party that overthrew Hariri’s cabinet and attempted to distance the kingdom from Lebanon in order to guarantee its dominance in the country.”
On another note, the same source said that Riyadh and Hariri support the Prime Minister Designate Tammam Salam in his mission to form a new cabinet.
Head of the Future Bloc former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said on Wednesday, in reference to the 9-9-6 cabinet formula proposed by Hezbollah and its allies, that a weak governmental formula does not lead to the formation of a successful cabinet, stating that the mentioned formula [9 minister for March 8, 9 Minister for March 14, and 6 centralist ministers] grants both March 8 and March 14 forces a blocking third.
Siniora told the Kuwaiti newspaper
Al-Rai that the mentioned formula will incite conflicts on the governmental level, adding that Lebanon had been through this experience once before.
Siniora added that the government of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati also led to internal conflicts and clashes, stressing that the main problem is not related to the governmental formula, but to Hezbollah.
In this regard, Siniora noted that "Hezbollah's military intervention in Syria and its non-adherence to the Baabda Declaration are behind the crisis that Lebanon is witnessing".
As-Safir newspaper said on Wednesday that the technical committee comprised of officials from the Ministry of Telecommunications and the Army Command as well as others from the telecom governing body will proceed with its work in a confidential manner to gather data and information regarding reports of Israeli espionage stations on the Lebanese border.
In this context, sources reported to the Daily that the committee is expected to finish its work in March, adding that Lebanese officials should exert further efforts during this period to protect the telecommunications sector from any possible Israeli breaches, and are also expected to gather necessary information to raise a complaint before the United Nations' Security Council.
Head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud said on Wednesday that teachers will go on strike on the 26th of November if the concerned parliamentary subcommittee does not refer the file of the ranks and salaries series to the joint committees on the 15th of November.
Sources reported to
al-Joumhouria newspaper that teachers of the public sector will be also participating in the said strike to protest against the delay in the discussion of the ranks and salaries series.