Date: Jul 12, 2011
Source: The Daily Star
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - July 12, 2011

Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Tuesday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.


Al-Akhbar: Roadmap to accuse Hezbollah of Hariri assassination


Since 2005, before investigators brought up the issue of accusations against Hezbollah in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, politicians and diplomats pointed their fingers at Hezbollah: it has carried out previous assassinations and is preparing to kill those still alive!


It came as no surprise for all those who viewed WikiLeaks documents before indictments were issued [by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon] and before the Der Spiegel report. Fingers were pointed at Hezbollah even before completion of the criminal investigation. The roadmap outline to target Hezbollah had been facilitated by French diplomats, Lebanon’s former justice minister and the STL Prosecutor. PM Saad Hariri, however, continued to link Hezbollah to al-Qaeda.


An-Nahar: Government kick-starts with appointments, recruiting


After a record seven-month government vacuum where dozens of issues – relating to social, economic administrative and living conditions – have accumulated, Cabinet will hold its first ordinary meeting under Prime Minister Najib Mikati at Baabda Palace at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Even though the government has many hot issues on its agenda – including political and judicial topics, let alone the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the urgent matter represented by a confrontation with Israel as a result of a dispute over offshore gas and oil reserves between the two countries – preparations were under way to tackle economic and administrative issues.


On Thursday's agenda were 71 items, most prominent being a request to extend the mandate of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon for one year, the renewal of Central Bank Goveror Riad Salameh’s term and the appointment by consensus of Walid Salman as Lebanese Army chief of staff and Antoine Choucair as the director general of the presidency. The agenda also includes requests for military recruiting.


As-Safir: Clinton responds to assault on [U.S., French] embassies: Assad lost legitimacy
Damascus: Consultation meeting different from closing statement


The United States accused Syria and France of failing to protect embassies in Damascus, which were attacked by protesters angered by a visit to Hama by the U.S. and French ambassadors. The protest has led to the destruction of the facade of the U.S. embassy building. It also resulted in the wounding of six people – three French Embassy staff and three Syrian nationals – by gunshots fired by embassy guards.


A closing statement prepared by the country’s Dialogue Supervisory Board gained little support from the participants of the national dialogue meeting, with many describing the session as “disappointing,” “frustrating” and “unacceptable,” prompting an agreement after a lengthy debate on the formation of a drafting committee to tackle the outcome of today’s [Monday’s] meeting which has been extended by a day.


Al-Mustaqbal: Government loyalists attack U.S., French, Qatar embassies in Damascus
Washington: Assad lost legitimacy, dispensable
Hariri speaks today about past, present and future


In the first such stance since the start of the popular movement [uprising] in Syria four months ago against the regime of President Bashar Assad, the United States Monday said the Syrian President has "lost his legitimacy and is not indispensable."


Meanwhile, all eyes turn to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri who is expected to appear in a television interview with the local channel MTV from Paris via satellite.
Hariri is expected to outline a roadmap to steer the opposition action at the present stage, and will speak about the latest developments and key issues such as the STL and the government. He will also touch on the previous stage and what it had witnessed.


Ad-Diyar: Jumblatt: Wissam al-Hasan uncovered spy networks
Mansour: Israeli threats, intimidation will not affect us


The head of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt outlined a series of positions late Monday, hailing efforts of Col. Wissam al-Hasan, the head of Internal Security Forces’ Information Branch [police intelligence bureau], for uncovering the spy networks [working for Israel].
On the gas and oil dispute between Lebanon and Israel, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour told Ad-Diyar: “Threats and intimidation by Israel are useless since they aim to cover up its violations and breaches of the exclusive economic zone.”
“They have no technical effect at all,” Mansour said.