Date: Nov 17, 2011
Source: The Daily Star
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Nov.17, 2011

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


As-Safir
Berri contains opposition attack ... Hariri accuses him of intimidating people
Who wiped out ‘data’ from the third cellular network?


Parliament escaped accountability Wednesday with minimal political damage. And while March 14 lawmakers sought to target Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Berri succeeded in containing these attempts and overseeing a clam session.
The opposition also sought to maintain its clash with the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati by presenting a petition signed by 11 opposition MPs urging Berri to convene a general session as they considered taking a vote of no confidence on the government in an effort to topple it.


Interesting enough was what could be labeled a “scandal” when Telecoms Minister Nicholas Sehnaoui, in response to questions by lawmakers on how he entered the Telecoms Ministry in Adlieh, said that the technical committee had finalized its report of the "second floor."
According to the report, Sehnaoui said the "data” belonging to the third cellular network that operated on the “second floor” had been completely wiped out.


[In May, police barred caretaker Telecoms Minister Charbel Nahhas and ministry technicians from entering the second floor, which houses telecoms equipment. They stopped Nahhas from transferring equipment belonging to Ogero to the facilities of mtc touch.]


An-Nahar
No leads in Tyre explosions, archdiocese vandalism
Government decides to go ahead with Mansourieh power plan


Although security authorities ruled out a political motive behind Wednesday’s twin bombings in the southern city of Tyre and the act of vandalism and looting of the Greek Orthodox archdiocese in Beirut, the impact of the series of security breaches raised questions as to why authorities rushed to come to conclusions before even collecting primary evidence.
Political sources said these incidents came a day after police arrested suspects involved in the killing of 11 people in the Metn region, which raises the possibility that the capabilities of the security services are being seriously challenged.


The Internal Security Forces were reportedly looking for the man believed to be involved in two bombings.
Meanwhile, Cabinet discussed the issue of installing high-tension electricity wires in Mansourieh at the request of Energy Minister Jibran Bassil, who asked the government to take a resolute stance on the implementation of this project.


Sources pointed out that the bottom line in this issue is that the government has to install high-tension lines above ground as it turned out that installing them underground was more dangerous than having the cables hanging in the air.
[Protesting that the measure would pose potential health risks if the massive power lines ran near their homes, Mansourieh residents last month stopped an Electricite Du Liban team, backed by security forces, from putting up the cables.]


El-Shark
Ban Ki-moon: Hezbollah weapons threaten Lebanon


U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon criticized the Lebanese government for not fulfilling promises made since 2010 to control the borders, saying the government has a responsibility in controlling its borders to prevent the entry of weapons into its territory.
In his 17th report on the implementation of Resolution 1701, Ban said: "The Lebanese Army did not mention more than one incident of smuggling weapons from Syria to Lebanon even though officials spoke publicly about it."


He expressed deep concern about the increase in security incidents in Lebanon, noting that uncontrolled armed groups and the ongoing flow of weapons into Lebanon continue to pose a threat to the country.
"The existence of Hezbollah and other armed groups operating outside state control is still a threat to Lebanon's sovereignty and stability and hinders the implementation of resolutions 1559 and 1701," Ban said.


Al-Mustaqbal
March 14 calls on Mikati to resign ... security ‘broken’ from Ashrafieh to Tyre
Berri takes hold of Parliament to protect government


Security incidents were back to the forefront as the Hezbollah government maintains its practices and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri taking control of the legislative institution [Parliament].
From Tyre to Ashrafieh, security has been shaken once again, even though the bombings and looting appeared to be attempts at sowing discord among the Lebanese.


However, the in-depth meaning behind these incidents is that Lebanon could very well return to becoming an arena in which regional messages are sent even as Interior Minister Marwan Charbel insisted the Tyre incident was not a security-related one but one linked to the sale of alcohol and urged that it not be regarded as targeting UNIFIL.


Meanwhile, the March 14 coalition praised the Arab League’s decision on Syria.
However, in a statement issued after its weekly meeting Wednesday, the alliance condemned as “shameful” the government’s stance at the Arab League.
“This shameful stance affects Lebanon’s pride and dignity,” the statement said, calling on Mikati to resign “in order to preserve the interests of the Lebanese people and preserve relations between the Lebanese and Syrian peoples."