Caretaker Minister of Social Affairs Wael Abou Faour and Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali engaged on Saturday in a war of words days after the diplomat said in a statement that his country “has no ties with Walid Jumblat who was an accomplice in incitement against Syria.”

“The resilience of the Syrian regime didn't surprise us as much as the hatred that its leadership has towards the Syrian people didn't surprise us,” Abou Faour said in a statement.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat has said that he would visit Syria only if the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad collapses and the country is “liberated.”

In remarks to French-language daily L'Orient Le Jour, Jumblat said: “Neither I nor my son have planned for a single moment to go to Damascus.”

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Wednesday the need to form a new government in light of the ongoing disputes between the rival political powers over the matter.

He said: “The 6-9-9 cabinet formula is still the most reasonable and acceptable proposal.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Friday warned against “leaving the army alone in Tripoli” and strongly condemned the abduction of nuns from the Syrian Christian town of Maalula at the hands of Syrian rebels.

In a statement, the PSP leader cautioned against “leaving the army alone in Tripoli without offering it full political cover, firstly from Tripoli's figures and secondly from the rest of Lebanese figures, so that it can fully perform its duties and restore security and stability in the city.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat criticized on Thursday how some Lebanese officials were quick to accuse Saudi Arabia of being behind the Iranian embassy in Lebanon, saying that they should at least await for the facts to be revealed.

He said in a statement: “It was better to accuse Israel of the crime, similar to the what Iran did, instead of laying blame on Saudi Arabia, keeping in mind that such accusations may lead to more tensions in Lebanon.”

Al-Mustaqbal Movement lashed out at Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat over his recent statements, considering that the Druze leader has “no right to make al-Mustaqbal a target for political sniper gunshots.”

“Al-Mustaqbal movement has been avoiding to engage in any debate that might target the origin of the historical ties with Jumblat,” a prominent official in al-Mustaqbal told al-Joumhouria newspaper on condition of anonymity.

A prominent Hizbullah military official was assassinated at midnight on Wednesday near his residence in Hadath in Beirut's southern suburbs.

“Around 12 a.m. Hajj Hassan Hollo al-Laqqis was assassinated near his house in Sainte Thérèse neighborhood in Hadath while he was on his way back from his work,” a statement issued by Hizbullah's press office said.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat said on Wednesday that politicians are incapable of resolving any of the local crises, calling for reconciliation among the residents of Tripoli to end the sectarian clashes.

“President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and I are working on the same level but we are incapable of ending the standstill,” Jumblat said in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat accused on Monday the leaderships of the northern city of Tripoli of destroying their city, saying that the situation there should no longer continue as it is.

He said in his weekly editorial for the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “It seems that the Tripoli leaderships are determined to destroy their city seeing as none of them have taken the necessary measures to change the status quo.”

A meeting is scheduled to be held next week between members of the Change and Reform and National Struggle Front blocs, lawmaker Ibrahim Kanaan told al-Joumhouria newspaper published Saturday.

It would be the fourth such meeting between MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform and other blocs.