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.
- Daher: Geagea
is the savior
According to
Al-Mustaqbal newspaper Future Movement bloc member MP Khaled Daher believed
that the speech given by the head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea during
the martyrs mass constituted a turning point and imposed new equations on the
Lebanese political scene.
Daher said that
Geagea’s speech saved the Christian political history in the region after it
has been derailed by some ambiguous statements of the Maronite Patriarch Bshara
Rai.
Daher told
Al-Mustaqbal newspaper that political relations in Lebanon are subject to
coercion and force adding that Hezbollah’s illegitimate weapons affected many
political stances especially those of MP Walid Jumblat, Minister of Finance
Mohammad Safadi and PM Najib Mikati who chose security and stability over their
beliefs.
- Sheikh Shujaa: I reject minority coalitions
According to An-Nahar Daily Sheikh Fandi Shujaa said that, “Everyone
should differentiate between my comments on Sheikh Ghaleb Kais’s statements
during Maronite Patriarch Bshara Rai’s welcoming ceremony in Bayada and the
Patriarch’s wise comments on these statements”
Sheikh Shujaa told An-Nahar Daily that he
rejected the concept of minority coalitions that some people are calling for,
adding that he supports Rai’s calls for tolerance between people.
Sheikh Shujaa expressed his
dissatisfaction with speeches during the ceremony in Bayada as it has been
agreed on that no political statements would be made.
He said, “We refuse to take sides and we
will always play an intermediate role as it is not in our interests to incite
further problems in the region”
“The Jabal War between Druze and Christians
was painful and we decided that such events would never happen again, as we
stress the importance of our position and our stances”
- False start on Rai’s U.S. visit
According to An-Nahar newspaper Maronite Patriarch Bshara Rai’s visit to the United States will kick off on the 4th of October, four days later than expected due to the abrupt cancellation of his meetings in Washington.
Rai will visit several states including New York, where he will meet UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon on the 23rd of October. An-Nahar reported that American officials explained the cancellation of Rai’s visit to Washington came after the U.S. expressed dissatisfaction with the Patriarch’s statements in Paris.
The officials reported that the meeting held between the Maronite Patriarch and the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Connelly was fruitful and tackled many critical issues. After the meeting, Connelly was relieved that Rai’s statements during his visit to South Lebanon on Syria and Hezbollah were different from the ones he made in Paris.
- Seniora snubs Berri lunch, Rai snubs Hariri
According to An-Nahar newspaper sources close to former PM Fouad Seniora explained that he decided not to attend Maronite Patriarch’s welcoming ceremony, hosted by Speaker Nabih Berri, in Msayleh as he expressed his reservations on the Patriarch’s last statements.
An-Nahar reported that the Patriarch did not wish to attend a lunch held at the Hariri family home in Majdelyoun and skipped a popular reception at the town hall in Saida, attending instead a lunch held by Hezbollah’s Sheikh Mohammad Yazbek during his visit to the Bekaa and Msayleh.
- Muslim-Christian summit at Dar el Fatwa
According to Al-Hayat newspaper Dar el Fatwa will host on Tuesday morning a Muslim-Christian summit headed by the Maronite Patriarch Bshara Rai.
The newspaper reported that the summit will be held to discuss the interrelations between Muslims and Christians in the region, as well as the reactions made on Rai’s statements in Paris. Sources told Al-Hayat that the Secretary General of Lebanon's Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue Mohammad Sammak is in charge of writing the final statement of the summit.
Sammak will stress the importance of coexistence in Lebanon on a nationalist basis, the need for Lebanon to respect the Taef agreement and to proceed through governmental institutions to solve all pending issues. The final statement will shed a light on Christians’ concerns in Lebanon, amid the ongoing turmoil in Syria and the Middle East.
The sources added that the statement will include a specific item to discuss these concerns, pointing out that it will be mentioned during the meeting that Christians are part of this land and its history, they live among their brothers and that these concerns will fade away with moderate political speeches.
The statement will also refuse Palestinians’ resettlement outside of their homelands as the attendees will call on their rights for an internationally recognized state as well as their right to return to Palestine and the liberation of the Islamic and Christian holy sites.