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.
Security sources revealed to al-Joumhouria Daily that a dangerous terrorist cell will soon be revealed, noting that a long list of Palestinian and Syrian fugitives affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Abdullah Azzam Brigades are currently being sought by the Lebanese Armed Forces Intelligence.
The sources stressed that these wanted men have prepared dangerous plans that threaten Lebanon’s stability, pointing out that they work by a foreign agenda in cooperation with ISIL in Syria.
Sources close to President Michel Sleiman told an-Nahar Daily that the Lebanese stance concerning the Geneva 2 peace conference was voiced by President Michel Sleiman on Thursday, where he stressed that “Lebanon’s only choice is to implement the disassociation policy in order to prevent the repercussions of the Syrian crisis from affecting its stability, through ending all forms of intervention in Syria’s internal affairs.”
In this context, other sources told the newspaper that Sleiman’s stance was an indirect response to the statement issued by Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour during the opening session of Geneva 2.
The head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt stressed that he is following up on the latest developments, noting that there are minor details that should be taken care of.
In a statement to as-Safir Daily, Jumblatt rejected the latest remarks saying that the ongoing discussions reached a dead end, stressing that his meetings with Hajj Wafiq Safa and caretaker Energy Minister Gebran Bassil on Thursday were positive.
During the meetings, Jumblatt called for finalizing the major issues, mainly the formation of a new cabinet, stressing the importance of the concept of confessional rotation in the distribution of ministerial portfolios.
“There are no conspiracies, nor secret deals against anyone,” he added.
Sources close to Hezbollah told Acharq al-Awsat Newspaper that the cabinet will be formed despite the hurdles facing the discussions, mainly after March 14 forces agreed to take part in a cabinet with Hezbollah.
The sources explained that March 14’s move was an implementation to a US decision, ruling out the possibility that Hezbollah might agree to participate in a government without its Christian ally, the head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun.