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.
Al-Anbaa Newspaper reported that sources close to the Future Movement
admitted that there was a poor organization at the funeral of Brig. Gen Wissam
Hassan, noting that it might be the result of the burden and the pressure
exerted against the Movement during the funeral where an unexpected mistaken
step took place.
The sources pointed that the Future Movement’s call for popular
participation in Hassan’s funeral was only for media purposes, noting that the
mistake they committed was that they did not push their public to take to the
streets and block the roads.
Another sources told the daily that the Future Movement’s leadership has
taken a decision to improve the movement’s situation, on the popular level,
especially that the elections are drawing near.
Top March 14 sources stressed that they are expecting a significant turn in
the Arab and international positions in the few coming days regarding the
current crisis in the Lebanon.
The sources told
Al-Hayat Daily that the reason behind this shift is that
the governments of the Arab and Western states that are concerned with the situation
in Lebanon, have received inaccurate reports from their embassies in Beirut
regarding the assassination of Brig. Gen. Wissam Hassan.
In this context, the reports received by the Western states directly after Hassan’s
assassination said that, by this act, Syria is intending to move its crisis to
Lebanon and to create political void that might lead the country to the unknown,
stressing that such attempts must be foiled.
Accordingly, the sources reported that the embassies “entered a state of
political panic”, expressing their concern regarding a possible chaos on the
security and political levels, making it difficult to take decisive decisions
in this regard.
However, the embassies in Beirut realized later that the reports have been
inaccurate, especially regarding the fact that the Syrian regime is intending
to extend its crisis to Lebanon to create a political void by toppling the
government, adding that the Syrian regime does not have to play an unveiled
political role to topple the government.
Top parliamentary sources revealed that March 14’s blocs are currently
studying their position regarding the participation in the parliamentary
sub-committee in charge of discussing the first and second articles of the new electoral
law, which concern the agreement on one law to be adopted in the upcoming
elections and the division of the electoral districts.
The same sources told
al-Hayat Newspaper that Mach 14 will issue a final
decision in this matter before next Monday where it will determine its position
concerning the meetings of the aforementioned committee.
The media official in the Progressive Socialist Party Rami al-Rayess
stressed that the party is not intending to enter a debate with the Future
Movement, noting that the relation between both parties will be determined in
the few coming days. He added that the political positions recently launched
PSP leader Walid Jumblatt must not be measured by the nature of his relations
with the political powers, but it should be based on the importance of
preserving Lebanon’s stability and avoiding political void, which might pave
the way for regional powers to take over Lebanon.
In an interview with
Acharq al-Awsat Daily, Rayess noted that Jumblatt
expressed his flexibility regarding the nature of the new cabinet in case it
was to be formed, stressing that the current situation is very critical, and it
is dangerous to topple the government without securing an alternative option.