DAILY SCOPE: Saudi Arabia Discontent, Punishing Saad Hariri

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Terrorist Groups Plan to Kidnap Soldiers

Legend of Daesh: Impossible Victory, Prohibited Defeat!

AN-NAHAR:

"A Promise" to Resolve Landfills within 48 Hours?

AL-AKHBAR:

Children for Sale!

Saudi Sanctions on...Hariri!

AL-BINAA:

Riyadh Waiting for Kurds to Participate in Geneva

Moscow, Tehran, Cairo; the New Middle East Triangle

Lebanese newspapers on Tuesday shed light on the different internal files, with special focus on the waste management crisis and the cabinet activity. The dailies also followed up on the dangers of the Takfiri terrorist groups threatening the region as well as the ongoing Saudi escalation against Lebanon.

Lebanese MP Saad Hariri seems to be at crossroads with Saudi Arabia, which was once the staunch supporter of the Lebanese politician. Hariri, who lived most his life in Saudi Arabia and has been known to have lived a privileged life in the Saudi kingdom, and who named his son Abdul-Azizi [the first name of the founder of Saudi Arabia's ruling Al-Saud dynasty and the father of the late King Fahd Bin Abdul-Aziz] and dissented to name him after his father Rafiq, witnesses Saudi discontent of his politics in Lebanon.

Newspapers issued today highlighted the displeasure of the Saudi regime and towards Hariri's performance in the Lebanese political arena.

AL-AKHBAR: New Saudi Princes Discontent with Hariri

Future Party sources told al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday that "Saudi Arabia today is not the same kingdom it was at the time of King Abdallah, who would provide complete coverage to Saad Hariri."

According to well-informed sources in the March 14 camp, "Saudi Arabia's new princes are discontent with the politics MP Saad Hariri has been following since his return to Lebanon."

"The Saudi reaction comes in response to his inability to cope with the Riyadh campaign against Hizbullah and his non-readiness to interpret the Saudi decision on the Lebanese domestic arena," the sources added.

Moreover, commenting on his 24-hour visit to oil-rich country, Future movement sources said that Hariri's one-day visit to Riyadh was related to financial issues, during which Saudi officials delayed the message of discontent to Hariri.

Saudi daily, Okaz, reported on Monday that Riyadh has taken measure to hold "Saudi Oger" giant, which is owned by former Lebanese PM Saad Hariri, accountable for delay in paying its employees' salaries. The financial issues and problems of the company were away from the limelight during the reign of the former Saudi king, but now seem to be a matter with which the Saudi princes pressure Hariri.

AL-JOMHOURIA: UAE Bans Lebanese Delegation, Sports Minister from Attending Event

Also, in context of the Saudi escalation against Lebanon and the Gulf countries' blind support to it, the United Arab Emirates translated its support to the anti-Lebanon campaign by banning the Lebanese delegation from taking part in the Arab workshops of the First Arab Youth Forum hosted by the country, reported al-Jomhouria newspaper on Tuesday.

According to the paper, Lebanese Sports and Youth Minister, Abdul Muttalib Hennawi expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision that prevented him from travelling to Dubai to take part in the event with the Lebanese delegation.

The minister assured to al-Jomhouria newspaper that the Emirates should have dealt with this matter with sportsmanship and should have kept politics aside.

Saudi Arabia's Gulf allies without second thoughts supported the Kingdom's escalation against Lebanon. The UAE last Tuesday banned its citizens from travelling to Lebanon and said it was reducing the size of its diplomatic staff in the country.

AS-SAFIR: Battle against "ISIS" long-term, not Impossible Though

The international battle against the terrorist group Isil and other extremist groups backed by Saudi Arabia and its Wahhabi ideology seems to be a long-term war that has no clear whereabouts, but will eventually come to an end.

Ian Lesser, senior director of foreign and security policy at America's German Marshall Fund told As-Safir newspaper that "it is early to judge whether the campaign against "ISIS" will soon succeed or not, because it is a long-term conflict."

According to Lesser, "The reasons why "ISIS" has not been defeated yet is because we stand before a long and complicated campaign in which many factors intertwine. There are local conflicts, and the "ISIS" conflict extends over a vast geographical area which makes the mission more difficult."

Lesser, who stressed that there is no clear horizon to the end of the conflict, said there is no doubt the war will eventually come to an end in Syria, Iraq and Libya but it is not clear when will that take place.

Source: al-Ahed News