Lebanon's new government, made up of members nominated by Hizbullah and its allies, got down to business Wednesday, a day after it was formed. Questions arose immediately about its ability to halt a spiral of economic and political collapse.

As the government headed by Hassan Diab held its first meeting, protesters briefly closed off major roads in and around the capital Beirut, denouncing it as a rubber stamp for the same political parties they blame for widespread corruption. Later on Wednesday, a few hundred protesters from northern and eastern Lebanon engaged in violent confrontations with security forces in downtown Beirut.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to curb Iranian influence in Syria and French President Emmanuel Macron to push back against Iran in Lebanon at this week's 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, experts said.

Pro-Iranian militia in Syria have stepped up their efforts to launch attacks against Israel, which has responded with air strikes -- including on Damascus.

Lebanon's new prime minister claims to lead a government of technocrats but critics argue the line-up is window dressing for a set of ministers who are neither experts nor independent.

Hassan Diab insisted the list of 20 ministers unveiled Tuesday night represented the demands of protesters who first took to the streets three months ago to demand change.

The Association of Banks in Lebanon said Wednesday that it expects from the new government a "clear financial and economic program that takes into consideration the big challenges that Lebanon is facing."

It added that the banking sector is ready to help in getting Lebanon out of its crisis.

Security forces fired tear gas and water cannons at anti-government protesters in central Beirut on Wednesday afternoon, after some of them hurled stones firecrackers and uprooted trees and began dismantling a huge security barrier outside Nejmeh Square.

The area had witnessed overnight clashes during a demo rejecting the country’s new government.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced Wednesday that the new government which was formed overnight Tuesday has the capability to pull the country out of its multi-faceted crisis.

“With its competent and specialist ministers, the government has the ability to come up with visions and programs that can be a cornerstone for overcoming the current crisis on the condition that there will no time waste,” Berri said during his weekly Ain el-Tineh meeting with lawmakers.

Lebanon’s new finance minister Ghazi Wazni on Wednesday said that it will be “difficult, if not impossible,” to return the dollar exchange rate to its previous state on the parallel market.

“The dollar exchange rate dropped to LBP 2,000 because a new government represents a confidence factor, but it will be difficult, if not impossible, to return to the official exchange rate” set by the central bank, Wazni, who is a well-known financial expert, said in remarks to al-Jadeed TV.

The new government on Wednesday formed a ministerial panel tasked with drafting the Cabinet’s Policy Statement.

The committee is headed by Prime Minister Hassan Diab and comprise the deputy PM and the ministers of finance, foreign affairs, justice, economy and trade, environment and administrative development, information, youth and sport, telecom, industry, and social affairs.

President Michel Aoun on Wednesday said the new government must seek to regain international confidence in Lebanon and reassure the anxious citizens.

“The critical period requires doubling the efforts and work, especially that the government was formed amid very difficult economic, financial and social situations,” Aoun told ministers during the first session of Hassan Diab’s government which was formed overnight.

Lebanon faces a 'catastrophe', Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Wednesday after his newly unveiled cabinet held its first meeting to tackle the twin challenges of a tenacious protest movement and a nosediving economy.