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.
Future bloc MP Atef Majdalani stressed that March 14 forces
are insisting on forming a neutral cabinet capable of holding the parliamentary
elections as soon as possible.
In a statement to
Al-Seyassah al-Kuwaitia Daily, Majdalani
said that those who are calling for a political cabinet seek the annulment of
the elections, noting that Hezbollah wants governmental void. The MP stressed
that Lebanon’s current situation requires a neutral cabinet.
In this context, Majdalani called on March 14 forces to hold
on to their positions, stating that Hezbollah is attempting to control the Army
Intelligence and the General Security as well as the Information Branch through
refusing to extend the term of ISF Chief Ashraf Rifi.
On the other hand, MP Majdalani said that if Najib Mikati
were reappointed as Prime Minister, this means that his resignation was “just a
chapter from the current play”, whereby Mikati was trying to regain the
popularity he lost when heading the government.
Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat said that the Lebanese people
have become used to the threats launched by Hezbollah every time the country
faces a constitutional obstacle, whether it involves the Presidency of the
Republic, the parliamentary elections or the formation of a new cabinet,
describing MP Nawaf al-Mousawi’s statement as a threat when the latter said
that the process of naming a new prime minister should take into consideration
the resistance, according to the Taef Agreement.
“Mousawi’s statement is nonsense since the resistance has become
from the past and turned into an armed militia,” Fatfat added.
In an interview with
al-Anbaa Newspaper, Fatfat said that
March 14 forces will hold on to their positions and will not give up their
principles for the benefit of anyone, stressing that March 14 seeks a neutral
cabinet capable of holding the parliamentary elections on time, after which a
political cabinet will be formed.
In this context, he ruled out the possibility of naming Najib
Mikati to form another government.
March 14 sources told
al-Hayat Daily that President Michel Sleiman prefers a neutral cabinet during
this stage, since the other party’s proposal concerning the formation of a
national unity government aims at delaying the parliamentary elections.
The sources stressed the
difficulty of guaranteeing the results of a national unity government amid the
current situation, given that the decisions of the national dialogue committee
have not yet been implemented “or even respected.”
On the other hand, sources
from the Change and Reform bloc considered that the neutral cabinet can be a
national unity one, since the political parties will be naming the ministers.
For their parts,
well-informed sources say that the current developments suggest that Hezbollah might reach an agreement with the
leader of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt who insists on naming
Najib Mikati to form the next cabinet.
On the other hand, the
daily revealed that MP Michel Aoun suggested the postponement of the elections
(for 3 to 4 months), and refused the proposal of his allies, in reference to
Hezbollah and Speaker Nabih Berri, who are calling for delaying the elections for
2 years.