Press Digest for Tuesday July 17, 2012

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.   

• Stones thrown and bullets shot at LAF in Asral                                                 

Al-Akhbar Lebanese Daily reported that an LAF patrol was attacked by a group of citizens in the Arsal area after the army had stopped a pick -up truck due to suspicions that it may be carrying weapons. Citizens fired gun shots in the air and threw stones at the Lebanese soldiers, later reclaiming the straw loaded pick-up and fleeing to an unknown direction.                                    

• Mar Mikhael and Sarba riots orchestrated by Aoun

Al-Liwaa Lebanese Daily reported that the movements which prevailed last night on the Sarba-Jounieh highway and the counter strike against EDL workers were all orchestrated by Head of the Change and Reform Bloc General Michel Aoun. The article stressed that those rallies were conducted in retaliation for the loss of Aoun’s supported team in the Koura by-elections as well as launching an “attack” against Speaker Nabih Berri over the issue of gas and oil reserves at sea.                                 

• Nasrallah July war commemoration speech, what will it address?                             

Hezbollah will be holding a celebratory commemoration ceremony in remembrance of the July 2006 “Victory” on Wednesday 8:30 pm.  Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is expected to give a fiery speech addressing many pending and important issues in the country, As-Safir Lebanese Daily said.                            
In a related story published in Al-Jamhouria Daily, relations between Hezbollah and its top ally General Michel Aoun seem to have come to standstill over the issue of the EDL contract workers. The reaction that Aoun is provoking, according to the sources in the article, is only being done “for show” especially since elections are at the door. Hezbollah seems to be displeased with the latter’s performance particularly with Minister Gebran’s Bassil headstrong and unbendable policies.                              

• Zawahiri issues order for the assassination of Berri and Kahwaji                                

In an article published in its Tuesday edition, Al-Akhbar Lebanese Daily reported via a highly trusted source, that Al-Qaeda has an assassination hit list for many high profile Lebanese political and religious figures. Speaker Nabih Berri and Commander of the Armed Lebanese Forces General Jean Kahwaji are among the targets.                            

According to the same source Berri makes the top of the list, while Kahwaji is as equally an important target. The bounty for the assassination of Kahwaji and Berri separately is speculated to be around $USD 150, 000                      

The command for the kill came from the Al-Qaeda top man Ayman el-Zawahiri according to sources.                           

• Sleiman to inquire on the case of 11 Lebanese abductees                           

Close presidential sources told An-Nahar Daily that Lebanese President Michel Sleiman will be conducting talks with his Turkish counterpart today to find out new information on the case of the Lebanese pilgrims abducted in Syria. According to the sources, the president expressed hope for bringing the abductees home prior to the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan.                             

No new information has been made available on the case of the kidnapped and their whereabouts so far and sources expect that Sleiman will not receive any fresh news, unless some sort of disclosure occurs.