Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Saturday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.
An- Nahar: Nasrallah: Tribunal and indictment worthless
Siniora: Hezbollah is in government and is hiding suspects
Speaking in Maroun al-Ras Friday, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, on the occasion of Quds Day, situated the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as part of the issue “of the resistance after the military failure to target it, the last being the July 2006 war, and the security attacks, the last being the assassination of martyr Imad Mughnieh.”
Nasrallah described the four suspects accused by the court as “proud members of the resistance and they have been treated unjustly.”
Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora of the Future Movement, commenting on the four wanted Hezbollah members and the Time magazine article with one of them and the problems facing Prime Minister Najib Mikati in cooperating with the STL, said: “There is a party represented in the government that says it does not want to cooperate with the court.”
Speaking in Sidon, Siniora described Hezbollah’s rejectionist position toward the international court as “Very odd … and goes against the law.”
“Hezbollah is now in a position where it refuses to implement the law and is in the position of protecting the accused,” Siniora said, adding that Hezbollah’s denial that one of the four had spoken to Time magazine showed that the party “is in contact and knows the location of the suspects … and this is further proof that they do not want to cooperate and that they are facilitating in protecting and hiding the accused.”
As-Safir: “Stirring sectarian sentiments, incitement against the army and resistance serve Israel”
Nasrallah: We want a strong and reform-oriented Syria that backs Lebanon and Palestine
There were no effective discussions on the issue of the electricity proposal and the prime minister is continuing his religious visit to Saudi Arabia, while President Michel Sleiman decided, and even though a bit late, to stand by the military “institution” with his meeting with Gen Jean Kahwaji and praising its role and efforts in safeguarding the people and the border. During this period of time wasting, U.S. Ambassador Mauro Connelly called on Lebanon to abide by its international commitments.
As-Safir has learned that Lebanon is coordinating with Syrian on what position to take at a meeting to be held in Cairo by the Arab League on the situations in Libya, Syria and Yemen.
During his speech Friday, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah focused on the issue of Palestine.
At the local level, Nasrallah said: “All those trying to incite against the resistance are serving Israel. Anyone trying to incite against the Lebanese Army serves Israel. Everyone who speaks in sectarian or religious terms aimed at causing strife is serving Israel.”
Al-Mustaqbal: Head of Hezbollah provokes Lebanese Army against March 14
In the new series of media attacks by Hezbollah on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and its indictment against four members of the group, the head of the party, Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, spoke on the occasion of Quds Day and carried on with what his deputies had started, adopting a the tactic of advancing when cornered, stirring sectarian sentiments and attacking the evidence of the indictment.
Nasrallah said: “There are some who are working abroad and those aiding them in the country to strike at the army, resistance and people equation.”
Nasrallah attacked “political parties of targeting the army and launching accusations to the point of inciting [against the military institution].”
“Who benefits from this?” Nasrallah asked.
“All the talk about sovereignty and independence is ‘empty talk’ because the persons directing the Cedar revolution were [then U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffery] and the French ambassador.”
“All those who incite against the resistance, the army or stir sectarian sensitivities serve Israel,” Nasrallah said, calling on the army “to put an end to this.”