UNIFIL on Thursday marked the 74th United Nations Day at its headquarters in Naqoura, south Lebanon, "joining the global call for international peace and security as enshrined in the U.N. Charter," a UNIFIL statement said.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col said the Day serves as a reminder to act collectively for maintaining peace around the world.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat on Thursday welcomed President Michel Aoun’s call for a government reshuffle.

“I called Mr. President and welcomed his call for reevaluating the current government situation according to the applicable constitutional mechanisms,” Hariri tweeted.

Protesters listening to the speech of President Michel Aoun on Thursday

showed dissatisfaction with a speech that came eight days after the uprising began.

After one week of unprecedented Lebanese protests, President Michel Aoun addressed the nation in a televised speech saying he is ready to meet representatives of protesters.

The British Embassy in Lebanon issued a statement over the anti-government mass protests that entered their second week on Thursday.

The embassy issued the statement on Twitter and said:

Ballooning anti-government nationwide protests have been ongoing for one week Thursday without any signs of abating, with demonstrators blocking main roads in Beirut and other parts of the country.

Sparked on October 17 by a proposed tax on calls made through messaging apps, the protests have morphed into a cross-sectarian street mobilisation against a political system seen as corrupt and broken.

Free Patriotic Movement supporters, escorted by State Security agents, assaulted protesters Wednesday evening and vandalized their protest encampment in the northern Metn town of Mazraat Yachouh, the demonstrators said.

A protester said the FPM supporters beat up men, women and even children.

Information Minister Jamal al-Jarrah on Wednesday alleged that “there are foreign and domestic political agendas pushing people to stay on the streets and perhaps scuffle with the army.”

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Jarrah said Prime Minister Saad Hariri has asked the army to “reopen roads and preserve the security of protests in public squares.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday applauded Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan and the army as he blasted parties he accused of seeking to entangle the military in a confrontation with protesters.

“I salute Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan over her honorable stance,” Geagea tweeted, after reports said that the minister had refused to order the Internal Security Forces to take part in the reopening of blocked roads by force.

President Michel Aoun on Wednesday held phone talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi over the statement issued by Bkirki about the popular revolt that has been rocking the country for the past seven days.

The president lauded “the content of the statement and the calls issued by Cardinal al-Rahi,” the National News Agency said.