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.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati left to New York on Saturday to
represent Lebanon at the 67th session of the U.N. General Assembly
that gathers the Assembly’s 193 member states from September until December.
This year, Mikati has an agenda full of meetings. While sources
close to the Grand Serail are keeping the Premiere’s busy agenda confidential “since
it might be amended”, his meeting with French President Francois Hollande has been
confirmed. The Premiere is also expected to meet with international envoy to
Syria Al-Akhdar al-Ibrahimi and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem.
As-Safir Daily reported that Mikati has put the finishing
touches on the speech he will make before the General Assembly on Thursday; the
address is expected to revolve around two main issues; first, Lebanon’s
incapacity to receive the large numbers of displaced Syrians who are flocking
to Lebanon, without the help of the international community; and second, the
importance of the Lebanese government’s decision to disassociate itself from
the Syrian crisis to maintain civil peace and stability.
The Premiere is accompanied by his advisors Joe Issa
el-Khoury and Fares Gemayel as well as Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour.
- No UNIFIL troops in Bint Jbeil today
Hezbollah completed the preparations for the march it will
hold today in Bint Jbeil in protest of the US-made film mocking
Prophet Mohammed. The protest will be held under the slogan: “We sacrifice
ourselves for you, O messenger of God”.
As-Safir Daily reported on Saturday that the UNIFIL took
precautionary measures in anticipation of any dispute with the residents. The UNIFIL
headquarters in Naqoura commanded the troops to avoid passing by Bint Jbeil
throughout the day, according to the newspaper.
Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun
said on Saturday that President Michel Sleiman’s document on the national
defense strategy is “technical” except for the one paragraph that determines the
relation between the armed forces and the resistance. Aoun considered that the
idea is one hundred percent true “since the Lebanese army cannot, in any
circumstances, face any regional party; thus the need for cooperation between the
LAF and the resistance.”
Aoun said that he agreed with Hezbollah that
weapons are only used to defend Lebanon; “this agreement is written”, he said.
On elections, Aoun told
Al-Akhbar Daily that
the danger of failing to hold parliamentary elections began looming in the
horizon, stressing that the Orthodox Gathering’s electoral draft law was put forth by the Lebanese Forces
and the Kataeb.
“I would leave my allies if they manage to
make their friends support the Orthodox Gathering’s bill since they want an
electoral law that is tailored just for them”, he said.
Aoun stressed that it is unacceptable that
one or two MPs thwart the electoral law based on
proportional representation.
Asked whether extending the mandate of
Parliament - if the elections were not held - would lead to the extension of the president’s
term, Aoun stressed that he is against extension or re-election no matter the
circumstances.
Sources close to former PM Saad Hariri said
that he is coming back to Lebanon, “but he will set the date for his return.”
The sources told
Al-Joumhouria Daily on
Saturday that small details related to the management of his businesses abroad
are keeping him away.
The sources denied that Hariri’s long absence
was due to material reasons, stressing that all rumors in this regard aimed at
hiding the “obvious” truth which is the threat to his own security.
The sources revealed that Hariri left the
country for reasons related to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the
decisions that were going to be taken in the assassination of his father, along
with the accompanying threats that almost undermined civil peace back then.
They stressed that following Hariri’s return, the
March 14 coalition will hold extensive consultative meetings to put the
finishing touches on the electoral lists participating in the upcoming
elections.
Sources close to several security apparatuses
denied, through
Al Akhbar Daily, rumors that circulated about assassination
plots hatched by a cell headed by Mohammad al-Jouni, a several
member network arrested by the Lebanese army last month.
According to the rumors, the cell was plotting to assassinate former Minister
Elias el-Murr, MPs Ahmad Fatfat, Mohammad Kabbara, Nuhad al-Machnouq, House
Speaker Nabih Berri and two judges.
The sources stressed that Jouni told investigators he wanted to assassinate two
judges, and that he was intending to target the ISF’s Information Branch to
avenge his brother who was killed during a pursuit.
The Daily quoted a source from the ISF as saying that investigations with
Jouni revealed the existence of a personal diary including names and phone
numbers of several politicians, ministers and MPs, some of which are dead. In
addition to the above-mentioned MPs, the list included: former President Emile Lahhoud, PM Najib
Mikati, former Minister Abdul Rahim Mrad, late MPs Antoine Ghanem and Walid
Eido, and Mona Hrawi. The sources stressed that investigations did not prove
that Jouni was intending to assassinate these figures.