The political and verbal dispute between the Mustaqbal bloc and Speaker Nabih Berri has forced the intervention of religious authorities in an attempt ease the tensions between the two sides.

Concerned sources told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Friday that the escalation could serve as another obstacle in the impending debate over the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Any official “who chooses to remain silent over the violations” of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, ISF Intelligence Bureau chief Col. Wissam al-Hassan and State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza would be “committing a crime,” Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said Thursday.

“Claims that we have surrendered to Miqati’s wish to keep Rifi, al-Hassan and Mirza in their posts are untrue,” Aoun said in an interview with LBC television.

A number of Lebanese activists, journalists, intellectuals and politicians on Thursday staged a sit-in at the Samir Qassir Square in downtown Beirut in support for “the freedom and dignity of the Syrian people.”

Simultaneously, a group of supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who belong to a number of Lebanese political parties, gathered outside the Beirut Municipality in the center of the capital, carrying Syrian flags and pictures of Assad and shouting slogans in support of the Syrian leader and his regime, state-run National News Agency reported.

The President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Judge Antonio Cassese, on Thursday issued an order convening the Trial Chamber for the first time in the case against the four suspects accused of being involved in the Rafik Hariri murder -- Mustafa Badreddine, Salim Ayyash, Hassan Aneissy and Assad Sabra.

“According to the Tribunal's rules, the Trial Chamber may meet before trial starts to engage in various matters, such as holding an initial appearance with the accused if one is in custody, deciding whether a trial in absentia is appropriate and ruling on preliminary motions,” the STL said in a press release.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated on Thursday that Prime Minister Najib Miqati is attempting to assume his responsibilities regarding the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, adding that even if the government were to be transformed into a caretaking one, it wouldn’t be able to escape funding the international court.

He said: “The government will incur negative consequences if it shies away from its duty to fund the STL.”

Public transportation drivers held a strike on Wednesday to protest the government’s alleged negligence of their demands.

President of the Syndicate of Taxi Drivers and Public Transport Workers Marwan Fayad told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) “the transportation sector strike is to express the rights (of the public transportation drivers) to achieve their demands.”

Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Najib Miqati have discussed ways to pay Lebanon’s share of the funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a ministerial source said.

The source told al-Liwaa newspaper that part of the discussions held between top officials on Wednesday, including talks between Berri and Miqati, lied on how to meet the STL’s demand.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil said the approval of the electricity project was not a victory for any party inside the cabinet but a victory for Lebanon and the government itself.

On Wednesday, the cabinet approved the electricity project proposed by him with several amendments including the allocation of the $1.2 billion funds in four installments, rather than in one payment.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams ruled out and Israeli attack on Lebanon, noting that Lebanon is the only country around the world that its sovereignty is being violated on a daily basis.

Williams told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday that Lebanon’s commitment to Security Council resolution 1701 was flawless, praising the current and previous Prime Ministers’ commitment to the international resolutions.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati has said that the cabinet made a very important achievement for the state and the citizen to gradually provide 24 hour electricity to the country.

“I'm relieved: Lebanon will gradually get Power 24/7. Objective: better public utilities & services at lower prices,” he tweeted on Wednesday after the government approved the controversial electricity project.