Prime Minister Najib Miqati stated on Saturday that Lebanon “belongs to all of its factions” and not just one party.

He said on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr: “National responsibilities require the cooperation of all sides in order to tackle the current situation.”

Speaker Nabih Berri received on Saturday a message from French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on the case of the 11 kidnapped Lebanese pilgrims.

He informed the speaker that the 11 pilgrims are alive and doing well.

Lebanese national Elias Adib Andraous was temporarily kidnapped on Friday after his captors suspected he was supporting the Syrian opposition, reported the National News Agency on Saturday.

He was released by the kidnappers on dawn on Saturday after being beaten and robbed by the assailants.

Four gunmen kidnapped on Saturday three Syrians on the airport road briefly, reported the National News Agency.

It said that the four gunmen, three of whom were masked, were riding in a silver SUV.

Progressive Socialist Movement leader MP Walid Jumblat’s recent harsh criticism against Hizbullah has led people to believe that he may be returning to the March 14 camp fold, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

It added however that the MP may have realized the severity of the current situation in Lebanon, which prompted him to return to the national dialogue and ease his rhetoric against Hizbullah.

Lebanon’s Central Security Council held an extraordinary meeting on Friday in order to tackle measures to prevent the blocking of the airport road in compliance with a cabinet decision following its session on Thursday.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, who headed the meeting, said that the gatherers agreed to task the army and security forces with preventing the closure of the road, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stressed on Saturday that Turkish officials are keen to resolve the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria.

“We agreed on continuing the mutual efforts in another meeting, scheduled to be held soon, to follow up the case,” Charbel’s press office said in a statement.

President Michel Suleiman hoped on Friday that no Syrian officials are linked to the attacks that were being planned in Lebanon by former minister Michel Samaha, reported As Safire newspaper on Saturday.

“I enjoy good ties with Syrian President Bashara Assad. I have nothing to hide. What I am most concerned about is the discovery of explodes in Samaha’s possession,” he said in response to being asked if the Syrian president had contacted him after the former minister’s arrest.

Dar al-Fatwa, Lebanon’s highest Sunni Muslim religious authority, on Friday announced that Sunday, August 19 will be the first day of Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Dar al-Fatwa said the crescent moon which marks the new lunar month was not sighted on Friday night and that Saturday would as a result be considered the 30th and final day of the dawn-to-dusk month of fasting.

Turkey advised its nationals on Friday to avoid non-essential travel to Lebanon after mass kidnappings which included two Turkish citizens, the foreign ministry said.

"It is deemed beneficial if our citizens avoid traveling to Lebanon unless absolutely necessary," said the ministry in a statement.