Lebanon's stability and the independence of its political decisions will be discussed in a U.S.-GCC summit in Jeddah along with other regional matters, a Saudi media report said Friday.

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to meet Arab leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as leaders from Egypt, Iraq and Jordan to reactivate an annual summit between the United States and the GCC that had begun during the presidency of Barack Obama.

MPs Ashraf Rifi, Michel Moawad, Fouad al-Makhzoumi and Adib abdel Massih announced Friday the program of their new parliamentary bloc, Tajaddod.

Rifi demanded the hand over of any illegal "Lebanese or non-Lebanese weapons" to the state, considering that Hezbollah's arms have lost their resistance character.

An upcoming meeting between the leaders of the Free Patriotic Movement and al-Marada is probable, MP Tony Franjieh said.

Franjiyeh told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Friday, that his father, Suleiman Franjieh is a serious candidate for Presidency and has high chances of becoming President.

The indirect negotiations over the demarcation of the sea border between Lebanon and Israel are “still ongoing,” official Lebanese sources said on Thursday.

In remarks to LBCI television, the sources hoped the official Israeli response to Lebanon’s latest proposal “will come soon.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat suggested Thursday that “the Egyptian gas and the Jordanian electricity will not come in these circumstances.”

“Away from the fantasies of top advisors and the mysterious promises of some major embassies, can the energy portfolio be given to a guaranteed side and a single (power) plant be built, instead of burning the (central bank’s) reserves and eventually running out of them and plunging into the unknown?” Jumblat tweeted.

Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday lamented that Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah “has once again declared himself president, prime minister and army chief at the same time.”

“He is ensnaring Lebanon’s people in a new adventure whose price they might pay without taking their permission,” Gemayel tweeted, referring to Nasrallah’s threatening of Israel with military escalation if a future deal over the disputed maritime border does not come in Lebanon's favor.

There is “severe disappointment” among Israeli officials over what they heard from visiting U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein, who “did not report any flexibility on the part of the Lebanese” side, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Thursday.

“In Jerusalem, there was an expectation that during the visit of U.S. President Joe Biden to Israel, there would be progress towards an agreement, and the current development is particularly worrying in light of (Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah's threats,” the newspaper added.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met Thursday with President Michel Aoun after visiting the blast-hit Beirut port, telling reporters that Austria is willing to contribute to its reconstruction once a reform-minded government is in place in Lebanon.

"Austria offered to support Lebanon to rebuild the harbor with other EU member states because the harbor is important, especially with the (current) food crisis," he said.

Israeli Energy Minister Karen Elharrar held talks Thursday with visiting U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein, in the presence of the head of the Israeli delegation to the indirect negotiations with Lebanon.

“I will continue to work to create an agreement that will protect Israel's strategic and security assets,” Elharrar tweeted after her meeting with Hochstein.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati on Thursday responded to a new statement issued by the Presidency.

“Mr. Premier appreciates what was mentioned in the presidential statement’s third clause in terms of disavowing the insults that some of the president’s close associates are making… He also lauds Mr. President’s keenness on not insulting the Premiership post,” Mikati’s press office said in a statement.