Press Digest for Sunday December 25, 2011

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.    

• Hezbollah excludes Mikati from the political equation

Sources close to Hezbollah told Al-Anbaa Kuwaiti newspaper that the political leadership in the Party has decided to halt all political cooperation with PM Najib Mikati and to consider him as absent from any political equation.

The sources added that Hezbollah will not review this decision as it is a final one, revealing that Mikati has been given the choice either to stay in power under Hezbollah’s condition or to resign if he refuses. Al-Anbaa mentioned that PM Najib Mikati’s main concern is to preserve the image of the prime ministry in Lebanon as it is an important position for the Sunni sect, adding that Mikati will not accept Hezbollah’s terms in order to protect the political influence of the Sunnis and the prime ministry.

• Charbel: I did not receive any report of Al-Qaeda presence

According to Acharq al-Awsat newspaper the Minister of Interior Marwan Charbel denied any official report on the presence of Al-Qaeda militants in Lebanon, adding that the Ministry of Interior did not receive any official information from the Defense Minister during the last cabinet session.

Charbel revealed that the Defense Minister received information on the presence of Al-Qaeda militants but the Lebanese Armed Forces did not arrest any person till now. 

Asked if the current event in Syria will disrupt the local security especially after Damascus blasts he said “Regardless of the blasts, Lebanon will not be influenced by the ongoing turmoil in Syria if the Lebanese are keen on preserving their country”.

“We have to be aware of a third party that might ignite the entire region”.

Charbel called on the Lebanese to let the Syrian people decide its own faith.