Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi hoped on Sunday that the state would bolster trust in the armed forces.

He said during the Christmas mass that was held at Bkirki: “The state should assign all security and defense duties to the political authorities.”

President Michel Suleiman stated on Sunday that a parliamentary electoral law should cater to all insecurities in Lebanon and provide equality between its people.

He said after holding talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi at Bkirki: “The Maronite meeting laid the basis for discussions on the electoral law that unite all sects and respect the Taif Accord.”

Sources from the Mustaqbal Movement warned against undermining the Syrian accusations against Lebanon that al-Qaida members arriving in Syria from Lebanon were behind the twin Damascus explosions on Friday, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Seyassah on Sunday.

They warned that these allegations may be a precursor for Lebanese and Syrian powers to create unrest in the Bekaa town of Arsal and other Lebanese towns that are harboring Syrian refugees.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel confirmed that Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn had informed cabinet that al-Qaida members had infiltrated the Bekaa town of Arsal.

He told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat however that the minister only spoke of information he obtained and not of reports that al-Qaida members had been arrested, especially since the border region are controlled by the Lebanese army.

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour announced on Saturday that Lebanon will not participate in the Arab observer mission intended to oversee an end to nine months of bloodshed in Syria, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday.

He explained that the decision was reached by President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati, “who deemed Lebanon’s participation as unnecessary.”

Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour said on Saturday that the tenure of the cabinet depends on the how its members will fulfill their duties, the National News Agency reported.

“The cabinet’s efforts should be exerted to fulfill its duties in a number of security, political, economy, and social issues that the Lebanese citizens are waiting for,” Abou Faour said.

The army command urged citizens on Saturday not to engage in celebratory gunfire on New Year’s eve to ensure the public’s safety.

A communique issued by the command warned that the army would arrest any person who violates the law.

President Michel Suleiman hoped on Saturday that Lebanon would enjoy stability, and peace would prevail in the world, a statement issued by Baabda palace said.

Suleiman sent his Christmas greetings to the Lebanese in general and the Christians in particular.

A war of words is heating up between Hizbullah and Washington, with allegations and counter-allegations flying between the two foes as the crisis in Syria takes its toll on the Shiite group.

The cold war between Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hizbullah and the United States runs back decades.

The Lebanese army command said Friday that army units have taken exceptional security measures on the occasion of the holidays.

“Army units carried out and are still taking security and exceptional measures around places of worship and their surroundings, major roads and shopping areas,” the military command said in a communique.