DAILY SCOPE: Saudi-Turkish Attempts to Fuel Tension in Lebanon

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Northern Borders under Security Microscope...Syrian Enforcements

Jordan's Security Forces Clash with Armed Groups in Erbid: "Outlaws"...or Extremists

AL-AKHBAR:

"Lotfallah 3" Turkish Ship: Who is Playing with Security?

Nasrallah: Bomb Cars Were Managed from Riyadh

AN-NAHAR:

Washington "Encouraged" by Syrian Truce; De Mistura Designates 9 March for Geneva Talks

Republican "Terror" from Trump's Win in "Big Tuesday's" Elections

AL-BINAA:

Russia Supports Closing Turkish-Syrian Borders...Ankara Red-Handed in Arms Ship to Lebanon

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Two Dialogues Ongoing; Grant Returning

Lebanese newspapers on Wednesday, the 2nd of March 2016 focused on the speech delivered by Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that carried multiple messages, in which he tackled the latest developments specifically after the Saudi escalation and threats against Lebanon. The Lebanese dailies also shed light on the Turkish ship carrying weaponry that was detained by the Greek coast guards on Sunday. The cargo ship containing thousands of weapons, ammunition, and explosives as the Lebanon-Saudi Arabia relationship seems to be at its worse.

AL-BINAA: Ship Carrying Arms Heading to Tripoli

On the backdrop of news circulating on the Turkish ship carrying weapons to Lebanon, security sources told al-Binaa newspaper that the ship was carrying 6 containers, two of which were loaded with arms and ammunition.

Greek authorities detained the ship crew, which included 6 Syrians, 4 Indians and a Lebanese, said the sources, suggesting that the ship was heading to Tripoli to deliver the arms to one of the terrorist cells in Lebanon or to deliver it to the armed groups in Syria.

The sources also suggested that the ship comes in the context of the tense relationship between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, where the latter might be attempting to increase security tension in Lebanon to cause political, diplomatic and economic escalation in the country.

Local media outlets reported earlier that the Greek coast guards detained on Sunday a Turkish ship boarded with weaponry, adding that it was heading towards Lebanon.
Turkey has been providing the terrorist groups in Syria with weaponry, inflaming the crisis which erupted in 2011.

AS-SAFIR: Positive Atmosphere in Berri-Hariri Meeting

Well-informed sources told As-Safir newspaper "The atmosphere of the meeting in Ain al-Tineh that brought together Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri and Head of the Future Party Saad Hariri was positive, especially in terms of fixating dialogue between the two major rival parties in the country, the Future party and Hizbullah."

"The coming round of talks will be held on the 16th of March, with no amendment to the agenda that will include discussing the presidency, activating the government, easing tensions and facilitating dialogue," the sources pointed out.

The sources also assured that part of the Berri-Hariri meeting outcome asserted the importance of rejection to strife and tension, as Berri slammed the attitude of some "hooligans" who went down the streets, while he stressed that such people do not belong to any political party and do not enjoy any sort of cover or umbrella.

AL-AKHBAR: Saudi-Turkish Attempts to Cause Instability in Lebanon

Saudi Arabia's attitude has shown escalation in its relationship with Lebanon, with the new revelation of the Turkish arms ship heading to Lebanon and right after the Kingdom halted the arms gift to the Lebanese army.

Al-Akhbar newspaper said that amid the Saudi confrontational attitude towards Lebanon, there is a question on whether the Turkish authorities have decided to enter the game and manipulate Lebanon's security, especially in the Northern parts of the country.

The newspaper wondered whether there is a "Turkish-Saudi-Qatari" decision that missioned Ankara to send the ship. On this note, Lebanese security sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that "uncovering the ship that was heading to Lebanon implies that the country's domestic arena is targeted, especially as the ship was heading to the northern port of Lebanon."

The sources said the move asserts there are attempts to "explode" the Lebanese arena as the crisis in the region escalates."

"The Turks conducted statistical work in Lebanon in which they gathered information that says there are around 84 thousand Lebanese people who descend from Turkish origin, and tracked their political affiliations and activity," the sources noted.

It added that "The Turks are active in North Lebanon, and that there has been an attempt to empower the "Islamist" groups in the area, and allow them to stand out and provide them with popular support."

"They want to create a tense atmosphere by criticizing the Future party and its performance on the one hand, and the resistance party Hizbullah on the other hand, by that mobilizing sectarian tension that has been building up over the past few years," the sources went on to say.

Source: al-Ahed News