DAILY SCOPE: US Red Lines to Riyadh Campaign against Lebanon, Decisive Meeting on Garbage Crisis?

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Al-Jubeir: "Hizbullah" Rules Lebanon...Army Not Independent of It!

This Is How Saudi Anger Went Down from Washington to Beirut

AN-NAHAR:

Lebanon Faces Gulf - Arabian "Crossroads"

AL-AKHBAR:

Will Saudi Arabia Abide by US Limits, Stop Attacks against Lebanon?

AL-JOMHOURIA:

GCC Encircles "Hizbullah" on Media Level, Decisive Meeting on Garbage Committee

Lebanese newspapers issued on Thursday shed light on the relations between Lebanon and the Gulf Cooperation Countries in general, and with Saudi Arabia in particular; pointing out that the United States drew red lines to the measures carried out by the Gulf countries towards Lebanon.

Also, newspapers discussed the pending waste management file, saying that the promised solution should be seeing light soon.

AL-AKHBAR: US Draws Red Lines for Saudi Campaign against Lebanon

At the time the US Secretary of State draws a red line to the measures carried out by the Gulf countries against Lebanon as he warns of shaking its economy, the Lebanese government is busy trying to sort out the waste crisis that has been pending for around nine months now.

In light of these circumstances, al-Akhbar newspaper wondered whether "the Saudi regime will stick to the limits drawn by Washington in terms of its campaign against Lebanon."

"Senior US diplomats, including Secretary of State John Kerry, have privately warned Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states that they were overreacting and risked destabilizing Lebanon's broader economy," said the paper.

On another note, the newspaper said it is expected that the committee following up on the waste management crisis will be holding a decisive session today, in which it will discuss the pending crisis that has become a direct threat to the lives of the Lebanese people, especially in the Mount Lebanon area.

On this note, sources told the newspaper that there have been "positive breakthroughs" in discussing the crisis.

The waste management crisis erupted on July 17 following the closure of the Naameh landfill south of Beirut, which had been receiving trash from the capital and Mount Lebanon since 1997. The landfill was meant to operate for only a few years until a comprehensive solution was devised. But the government has so far failed to resolve the issue.

AL-JOMHOURIA: Pro-Resistance Lebanese, Arab Channels Targeted by Riyadh

More on the escalation of Gulf countries in face of Lebanon, al-Jomhouria newspaper quoted well-informed sources as saying that the "measures carried out by the Information ministers at the Gulf Cooperation Countries against Hizbullah will include in the first phase of the campaign all Lebanese and Arab Channels that support the resistance and Iran.

The sources added that most of these channels are broadcast from Beirut, which during the past few years witnessed the establishment of more than seven satellite TV channels that are aired from private studios.

The sanctions, according to the source, will also include production companies that have created documentaries on the Lebanese-"Israeli" war, and these are famous production companies that provide services for local and Arab channels.

The move by the Saudi-led bloc of six Gulf nations on Tuesday came less than a week after the GCC blacklisted Hizbullah.

AS-SAFIR: Presidential Void in Lebanon No Longer Priority for Washington

Sources closely following up on the latest Saudi attitude towards Lebanon told As-Safir newspaper that Riyadh feels an existential threat, or at least a strategic threat that comes from Yemen, which lies at its direct borders.
According to the sources, Riyadh cannot tolerate losses at the time Iran is playing "outside its territory" and if inflicted by losses it can tolerate it or even make it up later.

On another note, the paper said that US's interest in Lebanon's presidential stalemate is decreasing with time, which comes as a result of the turmoil in the Middle East and the fiery presidential race in the US.

It added that the US and international community believe it has become a priority to find a solution to the region's wars.

According to a parliamentary delegation that had recently visited Washington, US officials have underlined that the presidential void at the Baabda Palace is no longer a priority in US foreign policy. The US officials reiterated the stance during several meetings.

Also, the newspaper quoted the delegation members to Washington as saying "what concerns the US is to preserve Lebanon's security stability," adding that "The US officials are also concerned about Lebanon's economic stability which along with security stability can preserve Lebanon."

Source: al-Ahed News