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.
Imam of the Bilal
Bin Rabbah Mosque, Sheikh Ahmad Assir mentioned to
Al-Anbaa Daily that
Hezbollah’s involvement in the “continuous slaughter of the Syrian people
alongside regime forces has revealed its true face; that of terrorism against
all freedom fighters in Lebanon, Syria and across the Arab world.”
Speaking to the
Kuwaiti Daily, Assir stated that “he would seek to further expose Hezbollah’s
Iranian based plots in the area, stressing that he would not stop until the
entire Arab world knows the truth.”
“I will turn
Nasrallah’s life into a living hell,” Assir warned, adding that a statement on
his part will be announced on Sunday in down Town Beirut.
Al-Joumhouria Daily mentioned in its Thursday edition that
Hezbollah’s security bureaus are now expanding further away from its main
strongholds, adding that these bureaus stretch from Kesserwan all the way to Tripoli
in the form of local home units.
In a related story, Kataeb Chief Amine Gemayel stated
through
Al-Hayat Daily that Hezbollah now constitutes a serious threat to
Lebanon, seemingly since it may use “resistance as a pretext to take over the
entire country.”
Gemayel added, “[Hezbollah’s] involvement in the Syrian
crisis poses a threat to the entire country.”
Minister of Energy
Gebran Bassil confirmed that the
government’s latest appointments are taking shape in an “excellent
manner.” In this regard he said through
As-Safir Daily, “it seems the
government is like a fine wine, the older the better.”
Prime Minister Najib Mikati also commented on the issue,
reverberating his contentment with the aforementioned appointments. “The
judicial and administrative appoitnments are taking shape in an admirable custom,
and are proving satisfactory to all Lebanese political factions.”
Commenting on the demonstration
staged by the union coordination body yesterday, Mikati said that the sit-in
was unnecessary seemingly since cabinet already passed the ranks and salaries
issue with its ratification pending parliament’s approval when all funds are
provided.
President of the Association of
Secondary School Teachers Hanna Gharib mentioned through
As-Safir that
escalatory steps will be taken should the ranks and salaries scale not be
passed within the next week.
“The trade union coordinating body
will seek to paralyze the country through protests to be held before schools,
ministries, and governmental institutions should the issue not be addressed
properly.”
“Najib Mikati’s alibis are
unconvincing, and by announcing that it is a matter of finance, he only seeks
to stall the file,” Gharib said.
"We will call for a general strike
should the series not be given apt attention and recognition by concerned
officials,” he warned.
Military Investigative
Judge Riad Abu Ghida reportedly conducted thorough investigations with former
Minister Michel Samaha yesterday, allegedly on the three phone calls that took
place between the former and Syrian Presidential Adviser Buthaina Shaaban.
In this regard, a
judicial source told
Al-Anbaa Kuwaiti Daily that the results of this
interrogation will prove vital, refusing to add further details.
Sources close to the
paper stated that all evidence point that the female voice questioned does in fact
belong to Shaaban, who “acted as the link between Samaha, the Syrian president
and Syrian security apparatuses.”