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.
The head of the Lebanese Forces party Samir Geagea revealed that Friday’s meeting in Maarab was preceded by several meetings and will be followed by many other, in an attempt to improve the relation between March 14’s components and to prepare for the civil resistance that will face the current events taking place on the Lebanese scene.
“The other team is insisting on destroying the project of a state through intentional disruption, systematic void, murder and the import of the Syrian war into Lebanon after a flagrant intervention in the battles on the field, leading to a rapid collapse of the economic, financial and social situations,” Geagea added.
In a statement to
al-Joumhouria Daily, Geagea stressed that anyone who believes that political assassinations could lead March 14 forces to surrender or change their positions regarding national dialogue and the formation of a new cabinet, is mistaken, noting that the “troubled team resorts to the logic of murder and physical elimination.”
On another note, he said that what happened in Doha is an exception, not the rule.
“We will not sign any constitutional concession no matter what, we will not approve a cabinet that includes Hezbollah ministers, and we will not attend any dialogue session if the Shiite party fails to place a timeline to hand over its arms to the state,” he stressed.
In this context, the leader of the LF pointed out that March 14 forces have reached a state of solidarity never reached before, noting that they are determined to go on in the peaceful civil resistance to protect the state.
He reiterated his call on the Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam and President Michel Sleiman to form a new neutral cabinet, reiterating the need to elect a new president who will follow up what Michel Sleiman had started.
Caretaker Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi said that the security exposure was expected to take place due to Lebanon's presence in a region raging with wars, but what was not expected was that the Lebanese remain divided against the crisis.
“The only real solution to face this one-faced terror that aims at killing the Lebanese people is to reach national unity,” the caretaker minister stressed.
Qortbawi told
an-Nahar Newspaper that, according to the Lebanese law, a person who has been detained in Lebanon and was wanted, convicted or under interrogation over crimes implemented in Lebanon, could not be handed over to any country until after the Lebanese judiciary ends its duties.
“If Majed al-Majed was convicted in absentia in Lebanon, once arrested, the sentence drops and he faces re-trial,” he explained, adding that in case he is accused of being involved in crimes committed in Lebanon, he will be prosecuted before the Lebanese courts.
Speaker Nabih Berri stressed the need to keep on presenting initiatives and ideas in order to break the stagnation and to open an opportunity for dialogue.
“A consensual cabinet facilitates the presidential elections; however, both issues must not affect one another,” he said, adding that Lebanon ill face a greater danger should the presidential elections fail to be held.
In a statement to
an-Nahar Daily, Berri pointed out that he has not yet reached a state of despair concerning the cabinet formation issue, stressing that he is keen on implementing all the required constitutional measures to elect a new president.
“All the political parties must come together in a bid to face the game of hell that was launched against Lebanon,” he concluded.
Al-Akhbar Daily reported that investigations revealed that an islamist detainee mentioned two months ago, that man whose name is Qoutayba is being prepared to implement a suicide attack, without giving further details.
According to
al-Akhbar’s report, Qoutayba Mohammad al-Satem had left his parents’ house before and went to participate in Syria's battles, but his father used his connections and was able to bring him back after he paid a sum of money to people from Arsal.