Public school teachers are set to go on strike on Wednesday in protest against the political deadlock in Lebanon, which they fear will serve to increase economic and social problems, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Tuesday.

Transportation unions have meanwhile decided to go on general strike on Thursday “in order to achieve the drivers’ legitimate demands”.

Western diplomatic sources have expressed fear that the Syrian uprising would lead to a sectarian war, which could alter the local situation in Lebanon.

It is no secret that the regional situation and the Syrian mutiny in particular are playing a negative role in the Lebanese cabinet formation, the diplomatic circles said.

Speaker Nabih Berri has discussed with Caretaker Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar the possibility of resorting to an aspect of parliamentary systems in which the legislature can replace the caretaker cabinet in taking major decisions.

One of the Speaker’s visitors told al-Joumhouria newspaper that Berri is trying to resort to constitutional means that allow the parliament to implement decisions such as extending the tenure of the Central Bank governor, or to judicial means to solve the demands of Roumieh prison inmates and grant some cases a general amnesty.

Hizbullah will reportedly make a new initiative to put back the cabinet formation efforts on track after the latest deal on the name of retired Internal Security Forces Maj. Gen. Marwan Charbel collapsed.

An Nahar daily said Tuesday that Hizbullah might move in the next few days to find a consensual exit to the government impasse.

The Lebanese military is about to hand in three Syrian enlisted soldiers to their authorities after they fled Syria’s crackdown to northern Lebanon from the village of Tall Kalakh, An Nahar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

“One of the enlisted soldiers is being treated for injuries he suffered after being shot at along with the other two soldiers,” the daily said.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has informed the March 8 forces that he continued to hold onto the nomination of Najib Miqati as premier-designate, informed sources said.

The sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that Jumblat told members of the new parliamentary majority that Miqati should remain prime minister-designate because no alternative is ready but stressed that he might accept the nomination of MP Bahia Hariri or former lawmaker Bahij Tabbara.

Around 300 Lebanese officials, affiliated with the March 14 camp, were invited Tuesday to a meeting in support of anti-Assad regime demonstrators at 4:00 pm, but the conference was later postponed for unknown reasons and organizers said the location and the timing will be announced at a later date.

The Bristol Hotel was supposed to host on Tuesday two antagonist meetings; the first was in support of the Syrian people, while the other would reportedly be held to announce backing for the Syrian regime.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati’s circles have challenged Tawhid movement leader Wiam Wahhab to find legal methods to end the billionaire businessman’s nomination.

“Let them inform us when they find the legal way,” Miqati’s circles told several dailies in response to a question on the statement made by Wahhab on Monday.

The March 8 forces and Syria continue to hold onto Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati despite an announcement by Tawhid movement leader Wiam Wahhab that he was mulling legal ways to end the nomination of the billionaire businessman, high-ranking sources said.

The sources from the new parliamentary majority told An Nahar daily in remarks published Tuesday that the March 8 forces continue to back Miqati although the cabinet formation process shook ties between several members of the coalition.

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams has expressed “shock” at the number of deaths in the border town of Maroun al-Ras when Israeli forces opened fire on demonstrators on Nakba Day on Sunday.

“I am shocked by the number of the deaths and the use of disproportionate, deadly force by the Israeli Defense Forces against apparently unarmed demonstrators,” Williams said Monday after holding talks with Premier-designate Najib Miqati.