President Michel Suleiman stressed on Saturday that targeting the army would pave way for strife, conspiracy and chaos in Lebanon.

“Officers and the military institution play an important role in maintaining security and stability,” he said during a meeting with senior army officers at the Defense Ministry in Yarze.

Electricite du Liban's contract employees escalated their protests on Tuesday as they held a sit-in at the company’s headquarters in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael area.

A dispute occurred between the Internal Security Forces after the riot police demanded protesters not to leave the sit-in hall and to stop using loudspeakers.

A Lebanese man was killed and five others were injured after Syrian troops opened fire on them near the eastern border town of Arsal at dawn Tuesday.

Abdul Ghani al-Jebbawi was shot dead by Syrian soldiers while he was hunting for rabbits at a farm on the Lebanese-Syrian border, Arsal municipal chief Ali al-Hujairi said.

The fate of the 11 abducted Lebanese pilgrims remains unknown as officials confirm that efforts are still ongoing to release the men and that they are in good condition.

“Contacts are ongoing with all sides to determine (the fate of the pilgrims) and we ensure their families that they are fine and safe,” Prime Minister Najib Miqati told As Safir on Tuesday.

Premier Najib Miqati hoped on Tuesday that Lebanese political parties from across the political spectrum would approve President Michel Suleiman’s invitation for a National Dialogue next month despite skepticism on the participation of the March 14 opposition coalition.

“We welcome the invitation for dialogue which is our request,” Miqati told As Safir newspaper. “We hope that our meeting on a single table would lead to the positive results that fall in the interest of all Lebanese without any exception.”

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Monday reassured that no Lebanese expats were hurt in the deadly blaze that erupted at the Villagio mall in the Qatari capital Doha.

The minister said that Lebanese Ambassador to Qatar Hassan Saad informed him of the good news.

The Phalange Party renewed on Monday its leader Amin Gemayel’s demand to “positively” approach President Michel Suleiman’s call to resume the national dialogue in order to prevent Lebanon “from being dragged in the disputes of its neighbors.”

It said in a statement after its weekly politburo meeting: “Resuming the national dialogue will pave the way to ending the political, security, and regional aspects of Lebanon’s crisis.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat demanded on Monday that the Lebanese pilgrims who were kidnapped in Syria on Tuesday be returned to Lebanon, urging all sides to “exercise restraint.”

He warned in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine “against falling for the Syrian regime’s traps” should any of the supporters of the victims seek revenge against the abduction.

Electricite du Liban’s contract employees blocked on Monday the highway near the headquarters of the company in Mar Mikhael and set garbage containers on fire, causing bumper-to-bumper traffic.

TV footage showed scores of employees standing in the middle of the highway, bringing traffic to a complete halt.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati issued a decree on Monday temporarily forbidding pilgrims from traveling by land to holy sites outside of Lebanon.

The decision was made at the behest of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council and the head of the Hajj and Omra affairs authority.