Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas inaugurated Wednesday the Palestinian embassy in Lebanon and hoisted the Palestinian flag atop its building, after the Lebanese cabinet officially recognized the state of Palestine and approved to raise the level of diplomatic representation with it.

Flanked by Prime Minister Najib Miqati, the Palestinian leader also unveiled a plaque commemorating the event.

The head of the Mustaqbal bloc former Prime Minister Fouad Saniora noted on Wednesday that the information published in the indictment in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon presents strong and solid evidence of the involvement of the four Hizbullah members suspected in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.

He said in statement: “We are not seeking revenge, but we want to achieve justice.”

Parliament approved on Wednesday the tobacco control law that would organize the manufacturing and advertisement of tobacco products.

The law, initially proposed by MP Atef Majdalani, was amended to allow the tourism police to fine restaurant owners double the minimum wage should they the law be violated.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani urged on Wednesday the Lebanese to put an end to the “rhetoric of hate” and statements of incitement that would serve to create tensions between them.

He said after meeting with a Hizbullah delegation: “It is necessary for all sides to commit to objective rhetoric that would ease the people’s fears.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Wednesday the Palestinian people’s right to return to their homeland, which is a position shared by the Lebanese state and Palestinian Authority.

He made his statement after holding talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri called on Wednesday Hizbullah to sever ties with the suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, urging it to take “an historic stand” to cooperate with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

He said in a statement: “Hizbullah and its chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah should put an end to the policy of evading the STL, cooperate with the tribunal, and hand over the suspects in order to ensure the establishment of a fair trial.”

The March 14 General Secretariat lauded on Wednesday the publication of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon indictment in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, considering it an “exceptional development” that may lead to the truth in the crime.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “The publication is a victory of a principle that we have long supported.”

The four suspects named in the indictment published by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon are Salim Ayyash, 47, Mustafa Badreddine, 50, Hussein Oneissi, 37 and Assad Sabra, 34.

Ayyash and Badreddine face charges of "committing a terrorist act by means of an explosive device" and homicide, while Oneissi and Sabra face charges of conspiring to commit the same acts.

The identity of the suicide bomber, who detonated a large quantity of explosives concealed in a Mitsubishi van, killing ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others, remains unknown, the indictment released by the international tribunal said Wednesday.

“On 14 February 2005, at about 12:52, closed-circuit TV footage shows the Mitsubishi Canter van move slowly towards the St. Georges Hotel,” the indictment said.

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare welcomed on Wednesday the recent order of Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen to unseal the indictment in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Bellmare said: “This Order will finally inform the public and the victims about the facts alleged in the indictment regarding the commission of the crime that led to charging the four accused.”