The Phalange party warned on Monday against the consequences of the government's “failures on various levels”, calling for the formation of a salvation cabinet.

"The cabinet has decided to disassociate itself from issues of sovereignty and matters that affect the daily lives of the Lebanese people,” the Phalange statement said after the weekly meeting of its political bureau.

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali commented on Monday on PM Najib Miqati's visit to France, saying that “the Lebanese cabinet is the one to decide what to do and what not to do”.

“What matters most to us is preserving Lebanese-Syrian ties and maintaining security on our border,” Ali added after meeting Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour.

The Army Command announced on Monday that it discovered two rockets, which were set up to be fired against Israel, in southern Lebanon.

It said in a statement that an army patrol discovered the two 107mm Grad rockets between the towns of Halta and al-Mari in the Hasbaya district.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon issued a public redacted version of the Prosecution’s Pre-Trial Brief, which is now available on the STL website, it announced in a statement on Monday.

According to the Brief, the Prosecution intends to call 557 witnesses and there are 13,170 exhibits on the exhibit list, and the total time estimated for presentation of the Prosecution’s case is 457.5 hours.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Monday that Palestine will remain at the heart of the conflict in the Middle East, noting that the "Arab Spring" has arrived in its territories.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anabaa magazine: “The inevitability of history proves that all peoples will earn their freedom, rights, and dignity.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Monday the need for France's support for Lebanon, while highlighting the strength of the historic ties between the two countries.

He said: “The situation in southern Lebanon, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and the Lebanese government's policy of disassociation from the Syrian crisis will ensure Lebanon's stability.”

Several men set a Lebanese woman free in the outskirts of the eastern town of Forzol shortly after abducting her and contacting her husband for ransom, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

NNA said Fadi Fathallah received a phone call from his wife Mary Abdullah, 43, informing him that her kidnappers left her there after her car got stuck in mud, and escaped to an unknown location.

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji on Monday vowed the military will confront any internal strife that infringes on democracy, and will “strike” any attempt to divide the nation.

In his Order of the Day on Lebanon's 69th Independence anniversary, Qahwaji said: “The army will preserve the nation and democracy, and will be against any side that contradicts coexistence that all Lebanese have agreed on.”

President Michel Suleiman was adamant in holding further consultations with Lebanon's bickering leaders to ensure their participation in a national dialogue session as a first step towards ending the country's political crisis, sources said Monday.

But the sources told An Nahar daily that Suleiman wasn't very optimistic in his ability to convince the rival parties in reaching a deal that would prevent the country from sliding into further security and political tension.

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour will be part of the Arab League delegation, which will visit the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in a show of support for the territory in the face of Israeli air strikes, As Safir daily reported Monday.

“The purpose of the visit is to deliver a message of solidarity and support to the Palestinian people. It is the least we can do to confront the Israeli aggression,” Mansour told the daily.