Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Monday described the rare double veto used by Russia and China to block a resolution condemning Syria as a “slap in the face of the Syrian people,” urging the Lebanese state to “aid the Syrian refugees” instead of staging “airborne military parades in the northern border areas.”

In his weekly column in al-Anbaa newspaper, his party’s mouthpiece, Jumblat said the vetos “destroyed what’s left of the Arab League’s initiative which tried to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.”

Hizbullah politburo member Ghaleb Abou Zainab stated on Monday that the party supports the Free Patriotic Movement in any position it takes.

He said: “If the FPM decided to resort to street action to achieve Lebanon’s interest, then we will join it as well.”

A member of the judicial police was injured on Monday when wanted suspects ambushed his patrol in the Bekaa town of Brital, reported the National News Agency.

The ambush led to clashes between the police and three of the suspects, who were travelling in a Pathfinder.

Hizbullah and AMAL are expected to begin exerting efforts on Monday to resolve the cabinet dispute between Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Free Patriotic Movement ministers, An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday.

The daily reported that Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's advisor Hussein Khalil began on Monday contacts “without having a solution ready.”

The army raids and airdrops in the northern villages of Lebanon faced high criticism by the opposition as the military stressed that these operations will be followed by several more.

A military source told An Nahar newspaper on Monday that the operations that began over the weekend were planned a long time ago, but weather conditions hindered them.

Speaker Nabih Berri held talks on Monday with Prime Minister Najib Miqati as part of efforts to resolve the government crisis, reported the National News Agency.

Miqati said after the half-hour meeting: “If we are certain that cabinet will be productive, then we will resume cabinet sessions."

Prime Minister Najib Miqati is scheduled to head to France on Friday, but he seeking to avoid bringing a ministerial delegation along with him, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Monday.

Ministerial sources explained that the premier’s decision is linked to Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour’s insistence on attending Miqati’s meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

France will not be subject to intimidation or blackmail regarding its troops in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Monday.

French sources told the daily: “France is committed to UNIFIL and the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.”

Special Tribunal for Lebanon spokesman Marten Youssef expected the trials in absentia to kick off at the end of 2012, according to al-Liwaa newspaper on Monday.

Youssef revealed that the date will be set in April by Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen, urging the four suspects to appear before the court.

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffery Feltman on Monday offered his condolences to the family of late ex-MP Nassib Lahoud, who passed away on Thursday after a long battle with illness.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly accompanied Feltman in his visit to the house of the late Lebanese politician in Baabdat, Northern Metn.