Gov’t Spreads Optimism on: Extra Spending, Water Plan, Appointments
As Arab lambs are busy finding a way to topple Al-Assad's strong den of resistance, the "Israeli" fox was messing with Palestinian blood all along Gaza seized strip.
Number of martyrs is increasing with time.
Aircrafts and dust are the only present in Gaza's sky.
And on the land charred bodies of martyrs, the odor of blood, and calls for resuming operations against the Zionist entity govern the scene.
At least 12 Palestinians were martyred after "Israeli" air strikes hit Gaza strip along the night hours.
"Israel's" Assassinations Continue
One of the martyrs was Zuhair al-Qessi, the head of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), which is an umbrella group that draws together resistance activists from different factions.
"Another was Mahmoud Hanani, a former prisoner freed in the deal for "Israeli" soldier Gilad Shalit," Gaza health ministry official said.
In response, an-Nasser Salah Ad-Din Brigades, the PRC's armed wing, had promised a "seismic response to the earlier assassinations."
"We are not committed to the truce; we will respond very strongly to this "Israeli" crime," Abu Ataya, a spokesman for an-Nasser Brigades, told AFP.
Similarly, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing, threatened Friday to "retaliate over "Israel's" crimes against the rights of the Palestinian people and the commanders of the resistance in Gaza."
According to "Israeli" sources eight settlers were wounded Friday, one of them seriously, as more than 40 rockets and mortar shells were launched at "Israel's" south throughout Friday.
Mikati to Solve Extra Spending Issue
In Lebanon, it seems that the file of extra financial spending incised its way towards treatment, through a formula of compromise that was reached between House Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and head of "Change and Reform" bloc MP Michel Aoun.
In this context, the Lebanese government decided Friday to task PM Mikati with drafting a new plan to deal with the issue of extra-budgetary government between 2006 and 2010.
The announcement was made by Information Minister Walid Daouk at the end of the nearly three-hour ministerial session chaired by President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace.
Describing the session's atmosphere as "good", Mikati stressed in an interview with "an-Nahar" Lebanese daily that "the discussion took place away from maliciousness or offering rewards."
"What concerns us is the regularity of financial file, especially that no new budget can be set before the completion of the lingering financial file," PM declared.
He further viewed that "there has been an exceptional case that must be closed."
Explaining the not adopting the amended bill prepared by Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi, Mikati said "what was proposed in the government's sessions were not final, and work is under way to complete a final version of what has been agreed upon."
In parallel, "as-Safir" daily quoted Mikati's sources as saying that "several proposals were set in the Council of Ministers' meeting (Safadi, Ali Hassan Khalil, and Change and Reform Bloc)."
According to sources, the draft to be developed by PM Mikati will include detailed items for each of the expenditure years from 2006 to 2010.
Appointments Next Week, Lebanese Water Plan
Meanwhile, optimism by the majority, expressed in terms of consensus within the government, reached the point of nearing a resolution on the issue of administrative appointments.
In this context, ministerial and other parliamentary majority sources informed "al-Akhbar" daily that administrative appointments issue will be slowly addressed during the coming days.
The sources confirmed that "the agenda of the next governmental session i.e. next Wednesday is to include a number of appointments."
Unveiling that "the appointments will not include "essential" positions," "al-Akhbar" reported that "the government is to attest to a new method in dealing with this issue based on the meetings held over the past couple of weeks between PM Mikati and Energy Minister Gebran Bassil."
At another level, Bassil revealed Saturday that a plan to invest in Lebanon's water wealth has been reached in cooperation with several local and international powers.
In remarks to "as-Safir" newspaper, Bassil uncovered that "the long-term strategic national plan extends until 2035 with a cost of $9 billion."
"The plan aims at transforming Lebanon's water wealth into a field that can be invested, similar to the gas and oil sector, through selling potable water to Jordan and Cyprus," the minister stated
Clarifying that "the funds have been acquired from some countries and Lebanon's private sector," he explained that "it includes construction of dams, acquiring potable and irrigation water, recycling water, and improving the country's sewage system."
The minister said that the plan has been studied by the Energy Minister in participation with the European Union, World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and all Lebanese governmental institutions.
Lebanon to Prevent Smugglings from, Into Syria
At the security level, the Lebanese government vowed Friday to prevent attacks on Syria from its territories.
Informing the ministers of the Higher Defense Council discussions, Lebanese president Michel Suleiman said that "it stressed the ban of arms smuggling, the ban on security and military gatherings in Lebanon, and preventing the launching of any security or military operation from or to Lebanon."
Suleiman also underlined the need to refer any gunmen to the judiciary and to strengthen coordination and cooperation between all security apparatuses, in addition to an exchange of information and holding weekly meetings sponsored by Army commander Gen. Jean Qahwagi.
In another context, the series of collapsing buildings is invading Lebanese regions.
One person was killed and seven others were wounded in a building collapse in the town of Tabraja Friday night.
According to information, "the victim has been identified as an Indian laborer."
"The 13-storey building is occupied by foreign laborers. It is part of a Tabarja beach complex which was never complete," papers said.
Source: Lebanese newspapers, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org
