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.
Well-informed
Arab diplomatic sources revealed on Friday that Hezbollah has taken a decision
to keep PM Najib Mikati at the forefront in the face of the Future Movement, a
strategic step taken prior to the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The sources
told
Al Joumhouria Daily that this approach is based on the “final decision”
taken by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to refuse the
return of former PM Saad Hariri to Premiership no matter the circumstances or
the results of the elections.
This decision
was also based on the determination of both Hariri and Lebanese Forces chief
Samir Geagea not to approve the formation of a government of national unity or
the re-appointment of Nabih Berri as House Speaker should March 14 win the upcoming
elections.
- Stances of
Sleiman and Mikati on Hezbollah’s Ayoub drone
Al Liwaa Daily
cited sources close to Hezbollah as saying that the party was not surprised by
the reactions of March 14 to the launching of the so-called Ayoub drone over
the Israeli airspace. However, regarding the stances of both Sleiman and Mikati,
the sources pointed out that they were not “successful” despite the
clarifications that followed, adding “those who took these stances were
influenced by foreign reports stipulating that the Syrian regime’s fall is near.”
The sources
wondered “Does President Sleiman think that these stances will increase the
chances of his mandate being extended?”
As for PM Najib Mikati, he took this position
mainly to prove that his government is not “Hezbollah’s government”, according
to the sources.
MP Sami Gemayel told
Al Joumhouria Daily on Friday that he
has no personal dispute with former MP Fares Souaid, adding “the problem with
March 14’s General Secretariat is that it turned into an independent group that
operates and takes decisions without consulting us.”
“We noticed that all data were always canned and prepared an hour
before the coalition’s weekly meeting. We objected many times and when nothing
changed, we withdrew. Paradoxically, they did not care about our withdrawal and
did not even address the causes.”
Gemayel told the Daily that the Kataeb party endorses the
organization of March 14’s work in order to turn it into a more efficient
coalition. “Following the dispute, we felt that March 14 lacks democracy and
that we needed to deal with each other in a democratic manner”, he said.
On another note, Gemayel stressed that the relations between
the Kataeb and the Lebanese Forces were not tense; “on the contrary, we share
strong and competitive ties and we coordinate on a daily basis," he said.
- Attempts to dissipate fears over an Israeli response to Ayoub
drone
Al Hayat Daily cited well-informed sources Friday as saying
that contacts have been underway in the past few days to dissipate fears over a
possible Israeli reaction to Hezbollah’s launching of the Ayoub drone into the
Israeli airspace, especially that Israel raised this issue at the U.N. Security
Council 3 days ago.
Sheikh Bilal Dokmak told
Al Joumhouria Daily on Friday that
the case of the Lebanese abductees in Syria has reached its final stage.
Dokmak stressed that negotiations have led to an agreement to
release all of the Lebanese abductees in 2 batches after October 20, except for
the head of the Badr campaign Abbas Chouaib.
Sources told the same Daily that abductors want to keep Abbas
Chouaib due to his affiliation to Hezbollah, especially after photos of him
wearing Hezbollah’s military uniform were seized in his possession.