DAILY SCOPE: Free Vinegar Sweeter than Honey Flagrant ’Israeli’ Breach

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Scandal "Rolls", the Hidden "Unveiled"

"Israeli" Internet Breach Confirmed: Who is Responsible?

AN-NAHAR:

State Security Dossier Threatens Dialogue Session Today

AL-AKHBAR:

"Israel" is Selling Us Internet!

Syria's Kurds Declare Their State

AL-BINAA:

Hizbullah Will Not Abandon Syria, Will Continue Dialogue with Future Party...Cabinet Waits for Landfills

Lebanese newspapers on Thursday shed light on the latest scandal where it was confirmed that Lebanese public institutions and governmental bodies are exposed to "Israeli" espionage; as Lebanon's Telecoms minister Boutros Harb declared that the illegal internet networks were confirmed to be linked to "Israel" and thus pose a direct danger to Lebanon's national security.

In addition to the internet scandal which has been the talk of the town, newspapers focused on the dialogue session that was convened between Hizbullah and the Future party, and the waste crisis plan that is expected to start today.

AS-SAFIR: Illegal Internet Networks Threat to National Security

Days after the illegal internet scandal unraveled, it was confirmed that the internet networks being provided through Cyprus constitute a direct threat to Lebanon's national security with "Israeli" fingerprints clear in the story.

According to As-Safir, even though some sides in the country say they are sick of accusing "Israel" of standing behind every big and small issue and address the matter as "a conspiracy theory" behind which the accountable sides try to hide, yet Telecoms Minister Boutros Harb, who does not belong to what is known as the "resistance axis" declared out loud that the matter is very serious and confirmed "Israeli" involvement in it.

The newspaper quoted Harb as saying "We stand before a serious event that threatens our national security."

According to the paper, the minister unveiled that "Israeli" companies are providing the needs of the illegal internet providers, underscoring that the "criminals" decided to set up counterpart telecoms ministry using "Israeli" equipment and services.

Boutros also told the paper that not only a majority of the Lebanese people are using the illegal networks, but also many of the governmental buildings and apparatuses have been using these networks that provide almost "free services", which in itself is alarming and requires questioning how much damage has been done so far.

Commenting on the scandal, high-ranking sources told As-Safir that the best comment made on this matter is the Turkish proverb "Free vinegar is sweeter than honey," [Used to make a point when someone goes after something just because it is free or very cheap even though they would not normally even want it].

Harb had vowed Wednesday to hunt down illegal internet providers, saying they were linked to ‘Israel' and thus posed a danger to Lebanon's national security. The minister also said that while investigations are still ongoing, there was no doubt that the same people who are behind these illegal internet networks were also behind the al-Barouk network, which was discovered to have satellite connections to ‘Israel' in 2009.

AL-AKHBAR: Installations and Devices Confiscated in Lebanon Mountains

More on the internet scandal, Telecoms Minister Boutros Harb told al-Akhbar newspaper that they confiscated communications devices that had been installed in various mountainous areas across Lebanon and used in unauthorized Internet networks.

The newspaper said that Harb seemed to be very firm and decisive in his press conference on Wednesday, where he assured that "from the first moment the scandal unraveled, we realize that we stand before a serious security threat."

According to Harb, "Installations, equipment, technical systems, IT and technical equipment, satellite dishes, wireless communication systems, power plants, international tracking systems, converting alternative energy systems, batteries, generators, and metal towers that were installed in different locations in the Lebanese mountains and high-altitude areas were uncovered and confiscated."

The minister went on to say that "such is a flagrant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and an attack against its national security."

The internet "paths", according to Harb, are "external gateways that transfer international calls; internet and online information and data from and to Lebanon, and these paths that are unknown by the concerned Lebanese authorities."

AN-NAHAR: Waste Crisis Plan Implemented Today, Rejection to Naturalization of Syrian Refugees

Ministerial sources told An-Nahar newspaper that the ministerial council will be held simultaneously with the launching of a plan to resolve the garbage crisis that has been pending since last July, through opening the three local landfills that were designated as part of a temporary solution to the problem.

The waste crisis had erupted in July when Lebanon's largest landfill in Naameh was closed. Trash began piling up on the streets of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, forcing the dumping of wastes in makeshift sites and along riverbanks. Heavy rain last week brought with it flooded streets coupled with waste, as experts warned of the health and environmental impact of the crisis.

The fears of the government lied in the challenge imposed by civil society organizations, as they have decided to hit the streets to protest the pending waste crisis in the country and the opening of local landfills near residential areas. Yet, today this challenge seems to have been put off as the civil society sounds no loud objection anymore.

On another note, Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi told An-Nahar newspaper that he boycotted the ministerial committee meeting that was designated to discuss the Syrian refugees' matter, as an objection to the condition imposed by the donor countries. According to Qazzi, he objected the decision by some donor countries to link assisting Lebanon to finding job opportunities for Syrian refugees.

Furthermore, according to the paper, Qazzi assured there will be no compromises in this regard, adding that such a condition would lead to "naturalization without even knowing it."

Fears loom that the international community would support the displaced Syrians to remain in the host countries, such as Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. This comes after a proposal to create hundreds of thousands of short-term jobs to help the refugees survive in the overstrained Middle Eastern countries.

Source: al-Ahed News