DAILY SCOPE: Saudi Attempt to Blacklist Hizbullah Fails, Network Smuggling Arms to Daesh Uncovered

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

UN Security Council Foils Saudi Attempt to Label "Hizbullah" as Terrorist

AN-NAHAR:

"Safe" Transient for Lebanon in Islamic Summit

Hollande Tomorrow in "Mobilization" and Support Visit

AL-AKHBAR:

Hollande in Beirut: No New Doha Accord

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Hollande in Lebanon on Business Trip, Washington Says Presidency in Lebanon Reaches Dead End

AL-BINAA:

Istanbul Summit: Saudi Failure to Condemn Iran, Criminalize Hizbullah... Statement Traditional

AD-DIYAR:

Hollande Will Meet "Hizbullah"; FPM & LF in Major Christian Cities in Municipal Elections

The Islamic Summit in Istanbul made the headlines in Lebanese newspapers, which focused on Lebanon's participation in the summit and the Saudi attempts to distort the image of Hizbullah.

Also, Lebanese newspapers touched on the latest developments in terms of the meetings taking place in the region including the Egypt Summit and French President Francois Holland's visit to Lebanon. The dailies followed up on the illegal internet scandal and other files of corruption in the country, as well as the arrest of a network that has been smuggling arms to Syria and selling it to terrorist groups including Daesh [ the Arabic acronym for the Takfiri "ISIS" group].

AS-SAFIR: Saudi Blacklisting of Hizbullah Fails, China and Russia Obstruct Attempt

As-Safir Lebanese newspaper reported on Friday that Saudi Arabia's efforts to push for the adoption of a UN Security Council Resolution to blacklist Hizbullah has failed, as its attempt was thwarted by Russia and China.

Gulf sources told As-Safir newspaper that even the United States, which considers Hizbullah a terrorist group, ignored the resolution that was drafted by Saudi Arabia.

Well-informed sources told the daily as well that Saudi Arabia can only play its games in the arenas where it provides funding, one of which is the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that is expected to denounce "Hizbullah's" so-called terrorism.

On another note, Head of the Telecoms Parliamentary Committee MP Hassan Fadlallah told As-Safir newspaper that some sides in Lebanon are exercising pressure to deviate the path of the illegal internet scandal case, adding that "swift and serious investigations will uncover the masters [of the internet scandal] who are being protected under trivial and illusionary pretexts."

Fadlallah went on to say "We will continue our work in the committee and we will gather the given required; no one should expect that the committee will deal with the case lightly, especially because the [scandal] is a breach to the vital sector of Lebanon on the security and financial levels."

Also, As-Safir came to know that the Lebanese army arrested four people over suspicions of arms trafficking. According to sources, the suspects confessed to have been smuggling arms to Syria and selling it to terrorist groups including Daesh.

AN-NAHAR: Lebanon Discussed in Saudi-Egyptian Meeting

An-Nahar daily reported on Friday that among the issues discussed by Saudi King Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi during Salman's recent visit to Cairo was the political deadlock in Lebanon and the assistance to the Lebanese security forces, especially after Saudi Arabia decided not to give the Lebanese army its donation.

The paper pointed out that Egypt called for helping Lebanon overcome its impasse by electing a president, and advised providing the Lebanese army with support. On a related note, An-Nahar said that Egyptian officials will contact several countries to help resolve the deadlock in Lebanon. Since May 2014, Lebanon's top post has been empty, when the term of President Michel Suleiman came to an end.

On another note, a French well-informed source told the newspaper that the visit of French President Francois Hollande to Lebanon cannot be considered as an official visit especially as the top post in Lebanon remains vacant.

"In accordance with protocol, Hollande's visit is considered as a business visit," said the sources, adding "There will be no reception or official banquet, and since it's a business visit, Hollande will meet with a limited number of ministers who are involved with the concerned files."

Yet, sources said that the visit holds several messages to Lebanon, one of which is urging Lebanon to find a solution to its political crisis and start a new phase of mobilizing international partners to support Lebanon in facing the different regional crises.

AL-BINAA: Saudi Attitude towards Salam at Summit Inappropriate

The meeting that took place between Lebanon's Prime Minister Tammam Salam and the Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz on the sideline of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Summit was limited to a quick handshake and some compliments, before Salman directly returned to Saudi Arabia following his speech at the summit, reported al-Binaa newspaper on Friday.

According to the paper, the quick and cold meeting between the two sides is another indicator to the deteriorating relations between the Gulf country and Lebanon, and that all mediations in this context are to no avail.

Well-informed sources in the March 14 camp told al-Binaa newspaper that "the attitude of King Salman towards Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the summit was not appropriate, where Salman spent five days in Egypt but did not dedicate even five minutes to meet Lebanon's PM."

According to the source, Salman's attitude reflects a "superior attitude" practiced by the Gulf countries towards Lebanon, adding that Salman's attitude towards Lebanon's PM blocks the road before the expected visit of House Speaker Nabih Berri to Saudi Arabia.

Also, diplomatic sources expected that the situation will continue to more deterioration, and that the confrontations between the Gulf countries and Hizbullah will continue in different and numerous forms.

Source: al-Ahed News