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.
A delegation from March14 including 14 politicians will be heading on
Tuesday to Gaza in solidarity with its people after the recent Israeli
aggressions.
The General Secretary of March14 Fares Soueid said to
An-Nahar Daily
that the aim behind this visit, which will last for one day, is to show support
to the Palestinian citizens and assure that defending Arab issues is not "restricted."
Within this framework,
An-Nahar added that Chief of the Future Bloc
Fouad Siniora was the first to discuss this visit last week with the Egyptian
Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Hamdi.
Prior to his meeting with Hamdi, Siniora discussed this
matter with Deputy Amine Gemayel and LF Leader Samir Geagea.
According to the Daily, the Kataeb Party will not be
part of this delegation.
An-Nahar newspaper said on Tuesday that March14 forces will not participate
in the national dialogue session, expected to be held on Thursday the 29th of November at the Baabda Palace, unless Hezbollah accepts to discuss its
weapons as part of this dialogue.
Sources said to
An-Nahar that some March14 politicians will meet
President Sleiman individually at the Palace to discuss the current Lebanese
situation and confirm their position regarding Hezbollah.
On the other hand, sources close to the President said that
there is no decision on the postponement of the national dialogue session despite the
fact that the President did not receive any confirmation from March14 regarding their
attendance.
The sources added that the decision related to holding this
session will be issued on Wednesday.
- Mikati: Strikes will not yield
solutions
Premiere Najib Mikati said to
As-Safir
newspaper that the strike of the Syndicate Coordinating Committee (SCC) will
not lead to any solution seemingly since issues are to be solved by dialogue
and not by demonstrations and strikes.
Mikati pointed out that the cabinet is
responsible for the economic situation in the country and it may not take any
step without studying it.
"We are not fulfilling our duties
to please any party, we are listening to various views and sectors with no
exception," Mikati added.
Mikati asked all parties to remember that the cabinet was the first to initiate discussions regarding the "high cost of living".
- Fatfat: Jumblatt's initiative has many common points with the Future
Bloc
Future Bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat said that the position of the bloc
regarding President Sleiman's calls for dialogue is clear seemingly since
dialogue did not yield any positive results so far.
Talking to
Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, Fatfat said that the Head of the
Progressive Socialist Party MP Walid Jumblatt is trying to be neutral and added
that the latter's initiative has many common points with the bloc starting from
the Baabda agreement.
National
Liberal Party leader MP Dori Chamoun said to
Al-Joumhouria that there is no need to
sit for dialogue with Hezbollah as long as the party does not recognize the need to
hand over its weapons.
Chamoun added that the Secretary General of Hezbollah surpassed in
his last speech all norms and conventions that recognize the existence of an
independent country.
"After
hearing him say that he is capable of entering into Israel, it was something
remarkable to hear him warn in his last speech from an Israeli strike on
Lebanon saying that the confrontation will
extend from the Lebanese borders to Eilat on the Jordanian border,"
Chamoun concluded.