Press Digest for Monday December 29, 2014

4^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.

Islamic State militants brace for attacks against Bekaa villages- reports

Al-Akhbar newspaper quoted security reports as saying on Monday that the Islamic State militant group is bracing for attacks against Central Bekaa villages which are home to thousands of Syrian refugees.

“We are in no rush to swap captives with a number of Roumieh inmates. Within months, we are going in anyway to free them all,” a commander of the group in Syria’s Qalamoun said mockingly as he spoke to a mediator in the file of the kidnapped Lebanese troops.

Mediators to meet with emir of Jabhat al-Nusra in Qalamoun- Al-Akhbar

Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Monday that contacts are still being held between the Lebanese government and the kidnappers of the Arsal captives but though channels both sides do not acknowledge their presence.

In the same regard, security sources told the daily that mediators are set to meet with Abou Malek al-Talli, the emir of Jabhat al-Nusra in Qalamoun, during the next two days.

“The mediators received pledges to hand over the body of martyr Mohammad Hamiyeh who was previously executed by Jabhat al-Nusra,” the same sources added.

PM Salam says power vacuum weakens Lebanon’s democratic system

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said on Monday that he tackled the dire situation resulting from the failure to elect a head of state in his latest meeting with Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros al-Rai.

In an interview with An-Nahar daily, Salam warned that power vacuum can no longer persist as it would weaken the democratic system in Lebanon, saying “local and international efforts with regard to the presidential entitlement did not lead, thus far, to concrete results”.

“The Lebanese political forces’ inability [to elect a new president] creates the need to foreign assistance and intervention in this regard,” PM Salam added.

Al-Joumhouria says Hezbollah-Future dialogue sessions to be held in Ain El-Tineh

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Monday that all dialogue sessions between Hezbollah and the Future Movement will be held in Ain El-Tineh at the behest of both sides who briefed Speaker Nabih Berri on their intention.

Sources also told the daily they were optimistic about the upcoming sessions based on the atmosphere that prevailed in the first Hezbollah-Future meeting.

“Members of both delegations held positive talks and said they hope dialogue would yield the desired results,” one of the attendees said, as quoted by the aforementioned sources.