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.
Lebanese security sources
told
As-Safir Newspaper that a small change started to appear in the American
stance on Syria, while a number of Lebanese security officers noted that some
western states showed concern over the growing role of the “Jihadists”
affiliated with al-Qaeda within the Syrian militant groups, mainly Jibhat
al-Nusra.
According to information,
al-Qaeda groups became active in Lebanon, where their role is not only
facilitating the passage of militants to Syria; but also adding all the
Lebanese officials who support the Syrian regime to assassination lists.
In this context, the sources
added that, due to the increasing presence of al-Qaeda, the western officials
began to ask their Lebanese counterparts questions about the fate of the
situation in Syrian in case President Assad falls; however no answers were
given in this regard. The situation is worsening; it is becoming more
mysterious and dangerous than ever, in Syria as in Lebanon.
The
leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, MP Walid Jumblatt told
As-Safir
daily that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is responsible for the
Palestinians living in camps; but everyone knows that the agency’s capabilities
are limited, noting that there is a law that allows the Palestinians to work in
Lebanon, but it has been hindered by some Lebanese labor ministers.
Accordingly, Jumblatt stressed the need to deploy international efforts to help
the Palestinian refugees on all levels.
“This afflicted people living on Arab lands
and in Palestine should be helped; and if the declaration of Palestine as a
non-member state was not attended by any representative of an Arab state,
except for the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, the Arabs must use a
small part of their wealth to help the Palestinian people, instead of building
these worthless and meaningless huge towers in the deserts,” Jumblatt added.
On the other hand, Jumblatt said that the
Lebanese government should activate the high relief commission concerning the
Syrian refugees.
Al-Akhbar Daily reported
that Dar al-Fatwa will declare on Monday the postponement of the elections of
the legal council for 45 days.
Sources from the Dar noted
that the decision of postponing the election came in respect to the law and
judiciary, but it does not mean that the Council of State has a power over
Dar al-Fatwa.
Future bloc MP Jamal al-Jarrah stressed that the arrest
warrants issued by the Syrian regime are legally ineffective and only serve as
a cover for the case of former Minister Michel Samaha.
On the Lebanese level, al-Jarrah told
al-Anbaa Newspaper
that MP Michel Aoun revealed his real position regarding the elections and the
position of March 8, which has become clear that they refuse to hold the
elections unless the electoral law which the cabinet referred to the Parliament
was adopted.
Al-Jarrah pointed that the opposition is unable to topple
the government with constitutional means, since it does not constitute a
majority, stressing that Najib Mikati’s cabinet is politically fallen.