Sources close to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said in reference to the March 14 forces that they reject any attempt to put obstacles to the national dialogue.

“We had always called for calm and rational dialogue to limit the tension in the country and prevent further political divisions among the Lebanese that threaten civil peace,” the sources told As Safir daily published Saturday.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat is seeking to bridge the gap between ex-PM Saad Hariri’s al-Mustaqbal movement and the two main Shiite parties Amal and Hizbullah.

A minister close to Jumblat told al-Liwaa daily published Saturday that Jumblat, through his meetings in Lebanon and abroad, is seeking to revive contacts between al-Mustaqbal as the main representative of Sunnis in Lebanon and both Amal and Hizbullah.

March 14 general secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid snapped back at the deputy leader of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council, Abdul Amir Qabalan, saying Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi should put an end to the “verbal provocation” over the dispute on the sectarian identity of the town of Lassa.

Qabalan said during Friday prayers that documents prove that the land in and around Lassa in the district of Jbeil belongs to its residents. Lassa’s population is mainly Shiite.

Former ministers, MPs and around 300 personalities will attend a legal conference organized by the March 14 forces next week under the slogan of “Justice for Stability.”

March 14-led opposition sources told An Nahar daily that the meeting, which will be held at the Bristol hotel in Beirut on Tuesday evening, will stress the need to remain committed to the international tribunal and continue funding it.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on Friday said “the Mustaqbal Movement and any political party will be forbidden from interfering in the Internal Security Forces’ affairs.”

In an interview with Hizbullah’s Al-Manar television, Charbel added that he will not allow ISF Intelligence Bureau chief Col. Wissam al-Hassan to carry on with playing a “political role.”

The Vice President of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Abdul Amir Qabalan stated on Friday that facts and documents prove that the land in and around the town of Lassa belongs to its residents.

He demanded during Friday Muslim prayers that no one get involved in the matter and that all the residents be treated fairly.

The Maronite patriarchate’s secretary, Monsignor Youssef Toq passed away and will be buried at his hometown of Besharri in northern Lebanon on Saturday, media reports said.

Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) said Toq seems to have died from a heart attack. His body was found in his bed on Friday morning after he failed to appear for breakfast.

Four security forces members were injured on Friday as they were attempting to remove a construction violation at the airport road, reported the National News Agency.

It said that as the Internal Security Forces were trying to remove the violation by the Awad family, a number of women and youths from the Awad and Kheireddine families intervened to stop them by burning tires and pelting them with rocks.

Iraq's Justice Ministry said Friday that plans to transfer a top Hizbullah commander who's being held in Baghdad from U.S. to Iraqi custody have been put on hold.

The turnabout comes as 20 U.S. senators ask the Pentagon to take "whatever steps you can" to prevent the transfer out of fear that the militant, Ali Mussa Daqduq, will escape or be released by Iraq's government.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed on Friday that he has not yet presented any suggestions in the security appointments file.

He therefore denied to LBC television that he is not concerned with any media reports on the matter, hoping that he would reach a conclusion that would “satisfy my conscience.”