Press Digest for Thursday July 26, 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.      

• New phase in EDL contract workers crisis, Aounists to hold sit-in this evening

An-Nahar Daily reported on Thursday that a new phase will be launched today in the EDL contract workers crisis, reflecting the failure of attempts to settle the score between the Free Patriotic Movement and its allies, Hezbollah and Amal.       

The FPM had called for a sit-in on Thursday evening in Sassine Square Achrafieh to protest the EDL's “occupation”. The sit-in is expected to be followed by a rally to Mar Mikhael.      

In those regards, an FPM leader told An-Nahar that Achrafieh residents spontaneously called for this rally to voice their refusal to the "occupation of the EDL", stressing that it is a peaceful rally where participants will hold light bulbs in a civilized way to voice their rejection of the disruption of state institutions and public services.       

• Contacts went a long way to bridge the gap between Ain el-Tineh and Rabieh

A ministerial source told Al-Liwaa Daily on Thursday that calls went a long way to bridge the gap and fix the stumbling relation between House Speaker Nabih Berri and MP Michel Aoun.         

Aounist MP Simon Abi Ramia attended the meeting of the Parliament’s bureau and committees’ rapporteurs headed by Speaker Nabih Berri yesterday following his personal meeting with Berri in light of the efforts to bridge the gap between Ain el-Tineh and Rabieh.           

• Manaf Tlass: I do not expect Syria’s future to include Assad    

Defected Syrian Brigadier-General Manaf Tlass told Acharq al-Awsat Daily on Thursday that his departure from Syria was "complicated, took a lot of time and included many parties", refusing to disclose the way he left Syria.      

Tlass said that he does not expect Syria's future to include Syrian President Bashar Assad, wishing that Assad had listened to him.         

Tlass stressed that he will be in contact with every “honorable” party or person who wants to build Syria, whether it is the Syrian National Council, the Free Syrian Army or any honorable person inside the regime’s circle.           

• Hamadeh wonders if Mansour is the Lebanese or Syrian Interior Minister

MP Marwan Hamadeh told Al Joumhouria Daily on Thursday that the main problem is not only the violation of Lebanese borders, but the infiltration of the Syrian regime within the Lebanese state.       

Hamadeh said that the Syrian regime has infiltrated into the Lebanese government, and mainly the Ministry of Interior, adding “we no longer know if Mansour is the Lebanese Interior Minister or Syrian Interior Minister”.