Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Tuesday that the failure to adopt the Baabda Declaration as the policy statement of the new government will obstruct the resumption of the national dialogue between the rival parties.

“The ministerial statement of any cabinet should be clear in this regard,” Geagea said in comments published in An Nahar newspaper.

Kidnappings, sectarian violence and tension along the Lebanese-Syrian border have led the U.S. State Department to issue a warning to U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to Lebanon.

“U.S. citizens living and working in Lebanon should understand that they accept risks in remaining and should carefully consider those risks,” said the travel advisory issued on Monday.

Salafist cleric Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi on Monday escaped unharmed from an apparent assassination attempt in the northern city of Tripoli, state-run National News Agency reported.

“An unidentified attacker fired a gunshot towards Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi as he was leaving al-Taqwa Mosque, but the bullet missed him and he is in good health,” LBCI television reported.

Eight Syrian Alawites were kidnapped on Monday from their minibus in the Lebanese border area of Wadi Khaled while en route to Syria, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

They were abducted by the members of two families who hail from Wadi Khaled in retaliation for the disappearance of their relative who went missing in Syria more than a year ago, NNA said.

A huge blaze broke out on Monday near the Jeita Country Club resort, gutting all trees across 3,000 square meters of forestland, state-run National News Agency reported.

Civil Defense crews were still trying to contain the flames in the afternoon, NNA said.

Syndicate Coordination Committee's head Hanna Gharib will resume giving classes at Mar Elias Btina College after the Easter break, radio Voice of Lebanon (93.3) reported on Monday.

This news comes after reports said two days ago that Gharib was fired for missing classes during his participation in the SCC's protests.

MP Mohammed Raad, head of Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance bloc, on Monday said the Hizbullah-led coalition is “open to all choices and options” regarding the designation of a new premier, noting that there will be no “veto” on “anyone who belongs to the patriotic camp.”

“Any new electoral law must ensure fair representation for all the Lebanese and truly achieve equal power-sharing between Muslim and Christians,” said Raad.

A meeting was held on Monday between the March 8 alliance Christians and a delegation from Hizbullah at the residence of Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh.

The meeting included Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, ex-Minister Youssef Saade, FPM caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, Tashnag Party MP Hagop Pakradonian, political aide of the Hizbullah chief Hussein Khalil and Hizbullah Liaison and Coordination Officer Wafiq Safa.

French President Francois Hollande expressed hope on Monday that Lebanon's sovereignty and stability remain, calling on politicians to abide by the Baabda declaration.

According to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3), Hollande contacted his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman to congratulate him on Easter Day, stressing the importance of implementing the dissociation policy.

Al-Mustaqbal movement will not submit the candidacy of any lawmaker for the parliamentary elections prior an agreement among the parties affiliated in the March 14 alliance, lawmaker Ahmed Fatfat revealed on Monday.

“We will not take a unilateral decision in this regards,” Fatfat said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).