Press Digest for Friday December 23, 2011

5^min

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.

March 8 minister: We will not act as if our allies’ wishes are sacred

A prominent March 8 minister told Al Akhbar daily that the demands of General Michel Aoun and his parliamentary bloc are rightful demands and serve the best interest of most Lebanese. The minister said: “However, that does not mean that we will act as if the wishes of our allies are sacred”.

Al Akhbar quoted the minister as saying that every party participating in the cabinet has its own popular base and should take into account its demands. “The [Free Patriotic] Movement has its own audience and must take its demands into consideration, bearing in mind what all parties have agreed on”, the minister said.

Nahhas: Wage adjustment decree will reach Shura Council today

Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas told An-Nahar daily that he will finalize the wage adjustment decree and send it to the Shura Council today. “The decree should be included in Thursday’s issue of the official gazette. I will see to it personally”, Nahhas said.

An-Nahar reported that the head of the economic committees Adnan Al Qassar will visit MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh on Friday to brief him on the dangerous repercussions that such a move will bear on the economy.

An-Nahar: Syrian border guards under fire

An-Nahar daily reported that unknown individuals in a white Kia shot at Syrian border guards near the village of Matraba in Hermel and then fled to an unidentified area. The Syrian border guards retaliated by returning gunfire.

Al-Liwaa: Al-Lino bodyguard assassin arrested

Al-Liwaa daily quoted a reliable Palestinian source as saying that Palestinian with initials Abd A. Gh. was arrested on Thursday inside Ain el-Hilweh camp.

The source stressed that the detainee confessed that he was the one who shot Amer Fustok, one of the bodyguards of the head of the Palestinian Armed Struggle Mahmoud Abdel Hamid Issa, also known as al-Lino.

The source stressed that Abd revealed that he was hooded and that after shooting and killing Fustok in the middle of the vegetable market, he changed his clothes.

The sources hinted at the possibility that Fustok knew Abd very well, adding that this ambiguous incident exacerbated tensions between Fatah movement and Jund al-Sham.

Al-Liwaa stressed that the family of Abd turned him in to al-Lino. He, then was interrogated, confessed to the crime and reveled the names of the people behind the operation. Thursday at midnight he was handed over to the LAF intelligence in Sidon and investigations kicked off.

An-Nahar: Mikati caught off guard by Berri’s ministers vote

An-Nahar daily learned from sources familiar with the last three wage decisions that during Wednesday’s meeting between PM Najib Mikati, the economic committees and the General Labor Committee, Mikati phoned Speaker Nabih Berri to inform him of an attempt to come to achieve a settlement acceptable to both employers and employees before the cabinet’s session.

The sources added that upon Berri’s request, the representatives of both sides headed to Ain al-Tineh to continue the discussions and to involve Speaker Berri in the solution.

According to the sources, some of the participants in the meeting were left with the impression that Berri wants to take the credit for the settlement signed by both parties.

The daily quoted the sources as saying: “Mikati was satisfied and reassured that everything was going right until he was caught off guard when Barri’s ministers voted against the very same draft concluded by their own leader.”

Berri’s circles remained silent and March 8 ministers were hinting at the possibility that Aoun might have asked Hezbollah Secretary General on the eve of the cabinet session that the party’s two ministers along with March 8 ministers to vote for Nahhas’ draft.

“Aoun got exactly what he wants, upon Nasrallah’s request”, the sources said.