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.
Future Bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat said on Wednesday that "Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun is well aware that issues hindering the formation of the cabinet are not related to Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam, but to his allies."
MP Fatfat told
Al-Joumhouria newspaper that Lebanese factions are awaiting Hezbollah's clarification in regards to its stance on the formation of the cabinet, stressing that the latter asked for 48 hours to make arrangements with its allies; however, later extended the period to 11 days.
Fatfat did not rule out the possibility of forming a de facto cabinet, calling on all Lebanese parties to bear their responsibilities.
Sources reported to
Al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday that a meeting was held lately in Rome between Change and Reform Bloc Leader MP Michel Aoun and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, pointing out that the two officials agreed on the importance of establishing a better relation between the Free patriotic Movement and the Future Movement.
A prominent Free Patriotic Movement official told
Al-Akhbar newspaper that contacts are ongoing between FPM officials and others from the Future Movement, stressing that FPM officials contacted former PM Hariri various times and discussed with him the governmental dossier.
Al-Hayat newspaper reported on Wednesday that Progressive Socialist Party Leader MP Walid Jumblatt along with Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghadanfar Rokenabadi discussed the latest stance voiced by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri during which he rejected dragging Lebanon's Sunnis into the conflict between Hezbollah and al-Qaeda.
The newspaper pointed out that MP Jumblatt and Iran’s Rokenabadi stressed the importance of taking into account Hariri’s position in order to prevent the eruption of any Sunni-Shiite strife in Lebanon.
The newspaper also noted that the two officials discussed the formation of the cabinet.
In this regard,
Al-Hayat newspaper said the Iranian Ambassador assured that the said dossier is an internal affair, praising efforts exerted by Lebanese factions to form a new government.
Sources reported to
An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday that Hezbollah increased its level of alertness in Beirut’s Southern Suburbs, pointing out that members from Hezbollah carried out, a few days ago, preemptive maneuvers aimed at practicing a full shut down of shops and the evacuation of streets in 10 minutes.
The newspaper said officials following up on the procedures of the maneuvers called on residents to head to upper floors of nearby buildings in a bid to give Hezbollah forces more freedom in case any confrontation erupted between them and armed takfiris that may enter the said region.
Other sources reported to the newspaper that Hezbollah forces were deployed in the streets of Nabatiyeh, emphasizing that these forces are implementing tight security measures.