Press Digest for Sunday September 23, 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.

• Fatfat: Convergence between Christians and Socialists on electoral law                

Member of the “Future bloc” MP Ahmad Fatfat told An-Nahar Daily that “there is convergence among all Christians and Socialists on the electoral law”, adding that recently, the meetings held included Minister Wael Abou Faour and MPs Georges Adwan and Sami Gemayel.                  

Fatfat noted that the attention is focused on adopting a law that reconsiders the division of constituencies “in a way that suits the Christian public”.                      

He pointed that the proposed draft law gives the Christians 46 deputies, while the work is ongoing to increase this number.               

Also on the electoral law, Parliament office committee member MP Marwan Hamadeh told the daily that the joint parliamentary committees are expected to begin their meetings next Thursday with a main item on their agenda the first article of the proportionality law.                      

• Hezbollah involved in arrest of Antar Karaki                             

Al-Hayat daily reported that Hezbollah’s security committee played a role in the arrest of Hassan Karaki, known as “Antar Karaki”, in Beirut’s Southern Suburb.                  

Karaki have been wanted according to several arrest warrants, and opened fire on Friday, at an army patrol chasing him. He was able to escape following clashes with the army, where a number of soldiers were injured.                     

• Charbel: political cover lifted off all offenders

Interior and Municipalities Minister Marwan Charbel stressed that raid operations conducted by security forces in Beirut southern Suburb and a number of other regions are running normally and regularly, and will continue until all goals are completely reached. He added that the “political cover is lifted off all security violators who will be arrested sooner or later”.                  

In an interview with al-Seyassah al-Kuwaitiya newspaper, Charbel noted that the reason why the operations are limited to the Southern Suburb is that a number of wanted people went to the region, denying the fact that a political party in the area is protecting them.                       

Commenting on the case of the Lebanese hostages in Syria, Charbel hoped that next week will bring good news, refusing to confirm the possibility of travelling to Turkey to discuss this issue.