Press Digest for Monday March 26, 2012

6^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.

Jordanian security forces interrogate more than 300 defectors

A Jordanian security source told Acharq Al Awsat daily that security forces are currently interrogating dozens of Syrian soldiers who had claimed that they defected from the army. The sources were quoted as saying that the investigations followed their escape from al-Mufrak, a region close to the Syrian-Jordanian border and allocated to house them.

According to the sources, security forces interrogated more than 300 soldiers occupying different ranks. Those soldiers started handing themselves over to the Jordanian border guards when the events began on March 13, 2011.

Rai rejected by Saudi Arabia, Qatar reluctantly welcomes him

Political sources close to March 14 forces told Al Seyassah al Kuwaiti daily that Saudi Arabia refused to host Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai at the end of February before his visit to Qatar last month.

The newspaper quoted a Qatari diplomat in Tunisia as saying that the Qatari government reluctantly accepted to receive the patriarch because of the remarks and statements he has been making ever since he was appointed head of the Maronite Church last year. The diplomat stressed that all of Rai’s stances have been contradictory to Qatar’s policies.

“Unlike Rai, Qatar opposes the Assad regime and endorses the Arab revolution”, the diplomat was cited as saying.

Diplomatic sources in London said that two Maronite religious figures visited the Qatari embassy in Beirut in February in a bid to ensure that Rai will be warmly welcomed in Doha. According to the sources, the response of the Emiri Diwan of Qatar was that the patriarch can visit the country under the condition that he announces that his visit to Qatar is only pastoral, or as he later on said to the Maronite diaspora in Qatar.

The sources added that all other Lebanese diasporas there, especially the Sunnis and Druze objected the visit. They said that it does not serve the Lebanese’ best interests and is rather an attempt to promote Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.

Bkerke’s mass caused division between March 14 and Rai

Political sources told Al Rai al Kuwaiti daily that Bkerke’s mass caused division between March 14 forces and Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai.

In his latest statements, Rai described Syria as “the closest thing to democracy in the region” causing one of the most violent verbal attacks between the Head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun and the Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

The newspaper added that due to the absence of half of the Christians from the mass, the spiritual gathering lost its moral significance especially in light of the troubles surrounding the Mufti of the Republic.

Strida or Keyrouz replaced, Qaticha, Wakim and Ghosn likely to run for elections

Al-Anbaa al Kuwaiti daily reported that a survey on Lebanese Christians was conducted lately and showed that Christians are distributed as follows: one third supports the Head of the Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun and his allies; one third endorses March 14 forces, while the last third is composed of independent individuals. The last third is not affiliated to any political party and has chosen to steer clear from Aoun and Hezbollah seeking someone who will offer a promising future for Lebanon and its Christians.

The newspaper quoted a source close to the Lebanese Forces as saying that the party will be resilient, open and will try to earn the trust of the independent third through political, social and national interaction. “This will translate into a strong political and electoral alliance with the independents”, the source said. The source stressed that Deputy Head of the Lebanese Forces retired General Wehbi Qaticha is likely to run for elections in Akkar, adding that the possibility that Lebanese Forces Secretary General Imad Wakim might run for a parliamentary seat in Beirut is open. The same sources were quoted as saying that the party is currently looking for someone to replace MP Farid Habib in Koura, adding that MP Nicolas Ghosn might also be replaced.

Al-Anbaa also reported that the Lebanese Forces leadership is examining whether MPs Strida Geagea and Elie Keyrouz should give another candidate from the district of Bechareh the chance to run for elections. The daily said that if the right candidate is not found, the two MPs are likely to represent the party in the upcoming elections. The sources added that the Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea is not leaning towards the possibility of running for a parliamentary seat.