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.
An-Nahar newspaper reported that the head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea is set to meet with Saudi Interior Minister Saud al-Faisal, and other senior officials in Saudi Arabia.
In this regard, sources added that Geagea will also meet with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, where they will discuss the issue of the presidential vacuum and its negative repercussions on Lebanon, as well as the need to receive international and Arab support in order to overcome obstacles facing the country.
Western diplomatic sources revealed that the US delegation set to visit the region of the Middle East, will be headed by the US special envoy and coordinator of the International Coalition against the Islamic State, General John Allen, and will include a number of senior diplomatic and military leaders.
In statement to
al-Joumhouria newspaper, the sources noted that the delegation will kick off the trip in Baghdad, and then the Gulf States before visiting Lebanon and Turkey, to continue the discussions that started between General Allen and the Turkish authorities in Ankara last week.
Health Minister Wael Abou Faour stressed that there is no need to panic over Ebola, noting that he is assuming his responsibility to protect citizens, by monitoring the entry of thousands of Lebanese nationals coming from infected countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
In a statement to
al-Mustaqbal daily, Abou Faour said that the ministry had started implementing precautionary measures several months ago, pointing out that over the past three days these measures were tightened and included the inspection of the planes transporting passengers from the aforementioned countries.
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stressed that the Takfiri gunmen located in the mountainous regions of Arsal and al-Qalamoun are incapable of invading the Bekaa region, noting that the Shiite party’s capabilities are very advanced.
He added that the incidents that took place in Brital and Assal al-Ward are "mistakes that were resolved."
According to al-Akhbar daily, Nasrallah reassured that the security situation is under control, pointing out that Hezbollah must not be accused of failure each time a security incident takes place.
“The most advanced countries in the world cannot claim to handle security 100%,” he added.
During the annual meeting for scholars, Nasrallah spoke of his last visit to the Bekaa, explaining that he was seeking further reassurance over the situation on the ground, pointing out that he walked several kilometers between the party’s bases.
“Our strategies are well-planned and we are prepared for any attack,” he said, stressing that he became more certain than ever that Hezbollah’s fight in Syria aims at protecting Lebanon.
On another note, the Hezbollah chief stated that the war in Syria does not aim at toppling President Bachar Assad, but at redrawing a new map for the region, stressing that the advance of the Islamic State serves the interests of the United States and Turkey.
In this context, he noted that “the war waged by the Arab-International coalition against the Islamic State is an operation to draw the red lines for this organization, preventing it from approaching Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Arbil,” adding that the airstrikes launched by this coalition are not equivalent to one day of airstrikes launched by Israel on Lebanon in July 2006.
Nasrallah said that the US uses the Islamic State to intimidate and manipulate the states of the Middle East, before imposing its dominance over Syria and Iraq, adding that Turkey will not join the coalition, unless it is granted strategic and geographic gains, that may include influence in Aleppo.