Phalange Party Demands Military Plan to Contain Unrest: We Call for International Help to Respond to Syrian Threats

The Phalange Party called on Monday for "laying out a military plan to contain unrest-prone areas”, urging the cabinet to reach out to the international community to respond to Syria's threats of bombing Lebanese territories.

"We demand laying out a military plan to contain unrest-prone areas, imposing security and preventing the appearance of gunmen,” the party said in a released statement after the political bureau's weekly meetings, condemning Sunday's attacks on Sunni clerics.

"Strife must be avoided and such incidents encourage conflict in the country”.

Dar al-Fatwa clerics Sheikh Mazen Hariri and Sheikh Ahmed Fakhran were beaten up on Sunday while passing through the Beirut area of Khandaq al-Ghamiq, state-run National News Agency reported.

As the news broke out, angry protesters blocked roads in the Beirut areas of Tariq al-Jedideh, Qasqas and Corniche al-Mazraa, as well as Sidon's entrance in the South and al-Masnaa's road in the Bekaa.

Later on Sunday, the army managed to arrest three people involved in the attack in Khandaq al-Ghamiq, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel announced.

The army also arrested two people accused of assaulting Sheikh Omar al-Imami in the Beirut suburb of Shiyyah. He was transported to a Chtaura hospital after receiving first aid at a Beirut hospital.

The Politburo also called on the cabinet to “make necessary calls with the international community to contain the Syrian threat of bombing Lebanese regions”.

The statement noted: "The U.N. Security Council's warning is a proof of the dangers threatening Lebanon".

Syria had threatened on Thursday that its forces would fire into Lebanon if "terrorist gangs" continued to infiltrate the country.

In a letter of protest to Lebanon, the neighboring country's foreign ministry said: “Armed terrorist gangs have infiltrated Syrian territory in large numbers from Lebanon".

"Syrian forces have confronted these gangs and clashes are continuing," the letter said.

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali told As Safir newspaper that Syria doesn't have an interest in having tense relations with Lebanon.

“Yet we can't compromise the security and stability of Syria,” he said. “We are under attack and we won't accept that”.