The Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for the Lebanon, Daniel Bellemare, has informed the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon that, for health reasons, he does not intend to seek reappointment for a second term as Prosecutor at the end of February 2012, announced the tribunal in a statement

Bellemare stated: "It has been an honor and a privilege to seek justice for the people of Lebanon.”

The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday last week’s attack against French troops in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, reiterating accusations that Syria is behind such assaults.

It added in a statement after its weekly meeting: “Hizbullah is also completely responsible for the attack because it controls the security of the South and UNIFIL’s area of operations.”

The Amal movement and Hizbullah leaderships have slammed what they called the “evil hands” that have targeted U.N. peacekeepers in the South and launched a rocket from Lebanese territories.

Following a meeting held by their leaderships at the movement’s offices in the city of Tyre, Amal and Hizbullah stressed commitment to the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon that supports the Lebanese army in accordance with Security Council resolution 1701.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced through Twitter on Wednesday that the Prosecution has until December 16 to present a progress report on Lebanon’s efforts to arrest the four accused in being involved in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

It reiterated the Prosecution’s call on Lebanon, during the November 11 hearing, for it to “intensify efforts to arrest the accused.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Wednesday that Lebanon abides by international law and is committed to its cooperation with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon in order to bolster security and stability.

He said after holding talks with UNIFIL Commander Major General Alberto Asarta: “The recent attack against the French unit in UNIFIL is aimed at harming Lebanese-French ties.”

Two Lebanese shepherds were injured on Wednesday in a Syrian cross-border fire in the eastern town of Arsal, Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) reported.

It said Mohammed and Khaled Fliti were attending their herds in the area of Kherbet Daoud when they received gunshot wounds from across the border.

The Syndicate Coordination Committee is going on with its strike set on Thursday as discussions with Prime Minister Najib Miqati and his envoy failed to avert its decision.

Head of the private schools teachers association Nehme Mahfoud told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) on Wednesday that the Syndicate regrets “the time spent discussing the cabinet’s approval of the wage hike with Miqati and his envoy.”

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has no information about any decision by the countries that have contingents serving with the peacekeeping mission to downsize their troops, a UNIFIL spokesman, Andrea Tenenti, said.

“There is no information about any changes,” Tenenti told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat published on Wednesday.

Phalange lawmaker Sami Gemayel and Hizbullah MP Nawwaf Moussawi clashed in parliament on Wednesday when the issue of the Shiite group’s attempt to expand its telecommunications network was discussed.

During a Question and Answer session, the second since the formation of the cabinet, Gemayel criticized Hizbullah over its “illegal excavation and installation works in the town of Tarshish.”

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Major General Alberto Asarta expressed frustration over the unstable security situation in the South, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.

“After I have praised for a year and a half the ideal security situation in the South, saying that that this region is the most stable,” the situation deteriorated, the daily quoted Asarta as telling Speaker Nabih Berri during a meeting at Ain el-Tineh on Tuesday.