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.
Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi told
Acharq al Awsat daily that all lines of communication between MP Walid Jumblatt and the Syrian regime are interrupted, adding that this is due to the divergence in points of view regarding the Syrian situation.
Aridi said that the military and security solutions in Syria will only lead to further complication, stressing that the only way to end the crisis would be through a political solution.
Speaking on whether he had tried to contact the Syrian leaderships during the last period, since he is entrusted by MP Jumblatt with the task of maintaining communication, Aridi said: “I haven’t tried to contact it [the leadership], I haven’t even asked for an appointment with any official and, they, in turn, are not contacting us”.
An-Nahar daily reported that the issue of wage adjustment will be discussed during the cabinet’s meeting that will be held in the Grand Serail on Monday. The meeting will be attended by the economic bodies and the GLC. Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas submitted his draft law to the Shura Council for further study.
An official Lebanese source told
Al-Hayat daily that, during a meeting between Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and PM Najib Mikati, Nasrallah informed Mikati that Hezbollah’s leadership will not accept to renew the cooperation protocol with the STL.
The source added that such a decision is due to Hezbollah’s belief that the cooperation protocol violates Lebanon’s sovereignty.
According to the same source, Hezbollah’s request to amend or renew a few clauses in the protocol was met with Mikati’s assertion that Lebanon does not hold any authority in this regard and cannot play an influential role for several reasons.
The sources stressed that one of these reasons is that the UN Security Council is the only body that has the prerogative of sending a renewal application to the UN Secretary General. A second reason is that Resolution 1757 clearly states that Ban Ki-moon can “refer to” the Lebanese government, meaning that he detains the exclusive prerogative in this matter and that the cabinet can only play a “consultative” role.
The newspaper also reported that Mikati urged Hezbollah to refrain from calling for the non-renewal of the protocol or the amendment of its clauses. Al-Hayat added that Mikati asked Hezbollah to abide by the international law to avoid the negative repercussions that will burden Lebanon and place it on a collision course with the international community if this law were to be violated.
An-Nahar daily reported that Hezbollah will soon issue an official statement similar to that issued by the Head of Hezbollah’s Shura Council Sheikh Mohammad Yazbek who said that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is not welcome in Lebanon.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon plans to visit Lebanon on January 13 and 14, where he will meet with various officials, including those in UNIFIL.
- Hezbollah and Hamas will have close to 1,000 rockets with accuracy by 2017
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expect the missile arsenal of Hezbollah and Hamas movement to grow and improve. “The arsenals that surround us are increasing in their quantity, quality as well as in their accuracy,” a senior IDF officer told the magazine on Tuesday.
For example, the officer said, by 2017 the IDF believes that Syria, Hezbollah and Iran will have close to 1,000 rockets with accuracy of a few dozen meters. The Jerusalem Post stressed that, according to the IDF’s estimations, in a future war, Haifa and the surrounding villages will be hit by 1200 short-range missiles, while Tel Aviv and Gush Dan will be hit by 3000 medium-range missiles and the rest of the country will have to suffer the consequences of 600 long-range missiles.
The Head of the Home Front Command Maj. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg said that during the second war with Lebanon in 2006, 43 Israeli civilians were killed meaning that for every 100 rockets, one civilian was killed. Eisenberg underscored the importance of lowering that number to 1 victim for every 1000 missiles.
The magazine quoted the Israeli Minister for Home Front Defense Matan Vilnai who told his visitors that “this building, in the event of any future war, will collapse”.