DAILY SCOPE: No Concessions on Lebanon’s Oil Resources, Maritime Borders

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

AS-SAFIR

"Israel" Drills for Oil in Galilee, Golan Heights and Near Naqoura

AN-NAHAR

Discovery of Scheme to Target Northern Bekaa with Missiles

Hostein to al-Nahar: Time for Oil Decrees

AL-AKHBAR

Egypt Enters Anti-‘ISIL' War

AL-MUSTAQBAL

Egyptian Army in Open War against Terrorism

On Thursday, the 2nd of July 2015, Lebanese newspapers focused on various domestic and regional topics, with special attention to Lebanon's matter of oil excavation and "Israeli" theft of Lebanon's natural resources, and the ongoing war with terrorism in Lebanon and the region.

Lebanese Army Thwarts Terrorist Plot to Target Bekaa--- AN-NAHAR

The Lebanese army has thwarted a terrorist scheme to target areas in North Bekaa with dozens of rockets, reported An-Nahar daily on Thursday.

The newspaper said that the army, after receiving information about the plot, arrested 30 people, three of them holding US nationality.

Three of the suspects are Koreans and the remaining 24 are Syrians, it said.

Their arrest took place in the town of Talya east of Baalbek after tips that the suspects were plotting to target sensitive residential areas and religious centers by launching dozens of rockets in one volley from a land in Sahel Talya, An-Nahar added. All of the suspects were transferred to Beirut for questioning.

Earlier on Wednesday, An-Nahar newspaper reported that investigations with a Syrian female detainee uncovered that she had plotted to carry out a suicide attack in the southern suburbs of Beirut during the holy month of Ramadan.

It also reported that two suspects were arrested after they were tasked by the so-called "Islamic State" group to carry out an attack in a crowded area in Beirut, exploiting the lack of high security measures during the current phase, a security source told the newspaper.

Lebanese Authorities Should Protect Oil Riches --- AS-SAFIR

The US Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs at the State Department, Amos Hochstein, has stressed that the solution to the exploration of Lebanon's offshore oil and gas is in the hands of the Lebanese.

Hochstein, currently on an official visit to Lebanon, told An-Nahar daily in remarks published on Thursday that "it was time for Lebanon to issue oil decrees and start working," adding while addressing the Lebanese "The solution is in your hands."

"The issue is more complicated than just drawing a line on a map," Hochstein said about calls for the demarcation of the maritime borders.

On the same note, As-Safir newspaper pointed out that if during his mission, Hochstein will attempt to "seduce" Lebanon into reaching a settlement with the enemy on the endless rift over the demarcation of maritime borders until the ‘oil labor' of the "Israeli" enemy is fulfilled on its own terms, then Lebanese officials and concerned authorities will surely attempt to protect Lebanon's rights in the economic waters that contain tremendous amounts of gas and oil."

As-Safir further noted that in order for "Israel" to progress in its oil exploration, it needs to guarantee total calm on its maritime borders with Lebanon, which is a strong card in the hands of the Lebanese state, of which it can make use to cement its rights in oil exploration and in its maritime borders.

Several Lebanese officials have warned that the delay in the government's approval of the decrees has given "Israel" the opportunity to siphon Lebanon's offshore gas and oil through fields that lie only a few kilometers from the country's territorial waters.

Hostage Servicemen Families Protest Delay in Release --- AN-NAHAR

The families of the Lebanese servicemen taken hostage by extremist militants in August last year blocked Thursday the Sidon-Beirut highway and Beirut's Saifi road simultaneously during Thursday's Cabinet session, said media reports, causing bumper-to-bumper traffic and anger amongst people.

"It's an appeal... we want to know the results of negotiations with the kidnappers," Nizam Mogheit, brother of captive serviceman Ibrahim Mogheit said.

The maneuvers come in light of the false hopes given by the state in negotiations, said the captives' relatives, warning of escalatory measures if officials do not cooperate.

At least 25 hostages are being held by "ISIL" and "al-Nusra Front" militants. They were captured when militants briefly overran the northeastern town of Arsal last August.

Since then, the families have held several protests and blocked roads to pressure the government into advancing negotiations. The original number of captives was 37, but the "al-Nusra Front" has since released eight and executed two, while "ISIL" has beheaded two.

Source: Al-Ahed News, Edited by website team