DAILY SCOPE: Lebanon Safe Path for Zabadani Deal, Presidential Election Dire Need to Lebanon

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Zabadani Agreement to be Carried Out: Exchange through Lebanon

Nasrallah Adheres to ‘Deterrence Balance': Retaliation Platforms Open

AL-AKHBAR:

Nasrallah: Retaliation Decision in Process

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Berri: Priority for Presidency and Activating Cabinet, Bkirki Did Not Receive Positive Answers

AD-DIYAR:

Response to al-Quntar's Assassination Definite despite the Repercussions

Lebanese newspapers on Monday shed light on the speech delivered by Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday, as he marked the one week memory of Samir al-Quntar's assassination, who was the liberated Dean of the Lebanese detainees in "Israeli" prisons. Newspapers also followed up on the different developments in the region, with focus on the latest developments in Syria.

AL-BINAA- Sayyed Nasrallah Calls for New Phase of Resistance against "Israel"

Sources from the March 8 camp told al-Binaa newspaper on Monday that Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah elaborated in the description of al-Quntar's personality, calling for further resistance against "Israel" through his words and assuring the importance of the coming phase in terms of responding to the assassination.

According to the source, the speech of Sayyed Nasrallah was addressed to all sides, implying that the Hizbullah decision to retaliate to "Israel's" aggression will not be stopped or repelled by threats of the enemy and the rivals.

Sayyed Nasrallah confirmed on Sunday that the Resistance is going to respond on the "Israeli" assassination of Leader martyr, Samir al-Quntar, and that the "Israeli" must continue to fear this response.

Praising the characteristics of al-Quntar, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that al-Quntar turned to become an icon for the school of Resistance.

AL-JOMHOURIA-Berri: Initiative to End Political Standstill Alive

Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri underscored that the initiative to end the political standstill "is still alive," said al-Joumhouria newspaper on Monday.

"Uplifting government work and holding a cabinet session will be the focus of attention at the beginning of the New Year, priority will still be given to the presidential elections which will solve all problems," said the speaker.

Quoted by his visitors, Berri said "The presidential elections are facing internal obstacles, while foreign powers have approved the proposal", pointing out that all officials in Lebanon are required to tackle the matter.

Hariri had proposed the nomination of Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh as president as part of a greater settlement that would revitalize the political scene in Lebanon, but the initiative was opposed by different political parties in the country.

AN-NAHAR-Patriarchate: Head of State Should Be Elected, Discussions Can Be Held Later

An-Nahar daily reported on Monday that Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said he believes the presidential election should not be part of a comprehensive settlement, but a head of state should be elected first and discussions can then be held over other affairs.

The patriarchate noted that the newly launched initiative to end the presidential deadlock is considered as a dynamics and not a candidate, who should be decided by the political leaderships.

Earlier, al-Rahi had on Thursday urged officials to take Hariri's initiative "seriously," which drew some criticism.

Future Movement Head MP Saad Hariri, of the March 14 alliance, has been leading efforts to nominate Franjieh as part of a greater settlement that would resolve Lebanon's political impasse.

Informed sources said two weeks ago that "the March 8 and 14 camps will soon hold separate meetings in order to "resolve the internal rifts" that emerged in wake of the presidential proposal. Upon an initiative made by Hariri to end the vacuum in the presidency, Franjieh emerged in recent weeks as a potential presidential candidate.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

AS-SAFIR-Lebanon Safe Passage for Terrorists, Kafraya and Foua Citizens

Well-informed Lebanese sources told As-Safir newspaper that the Zabadani deal will take place in several stages under the auspices of the United Nations, pointing out that Lebanon will be a route for the deal.

According to the sources, Lebanon will serve as a path whether to the armed terrorists and their families leaving to Turkey, or the people of the two villages of Kafraya and Foua who heading towards the Syrian lands controlled by the Syrian army and its allies. Since March 2015, 40,000 civilians have been under siege by Jabhat al-Nusra, Jaysh al-Fatah and other terrorist factions.

In the details, the sources said that the terrorist rebels will be transported to Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport and later to Turkey through a safe passage.

Simultaneously, families in the Syrian villages of Foua and Kafraya will be granted safe passage to the Turkish border before heading by plane to Lebanon.

They will be received by the Red Cross and United Nations in Lebanon before being returned to Syria, to areas that are controlled by the regime, said As Safir.

The Syrian army and resistance forces have tightened the noose around terrorists in Zabadani and Idleb province since early July, when the operations started as an attempt to bolster control of land routes between Lebanon and Syria and sever rebel supply lines.

Zabadani is located 50 kilometers northwest of Damascus and 12 kilometers northeast of Lebanon's Masnaa border crossing.

Source: al-Ahed News