Hopes for consensus between rival lawmakers on an electoral law were shattered on Tuesday after lawmakers from several blocs withdrew from the meeting of the joint parliamentary committees in protest at the adoption of the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal.

“We proposed today a 48-hour postponement of discussions” on article 2 of the proposal “to pave way for the success of deliberations held outside the parliament,” al-Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat told reporters after pulling out of the meeting.

The Gulf countries will ban Lebanese citizens from entering their territories if the Lebanese state failed to take a firm stance from statements issued by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, media reports said on Tuesday.

According to al-Akhbar newspaper, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani informed Lebanese Chargé d'affaires in Saudi Arabia Munir Anouti that the Gulf countries demand the government to take a strict stance from Aoun's statements on the developments in Bahrain.

The Free Syran Army Military Commander General Salim Idris said on Monday that he ordered his fighters to treat Hizbullah's captives as “mercenaries and not as prisoners of war”.

Idris elaborated that Hizbullah's fighters will be tried in military courts: “They will not be treated following the conditions mentioned in the international law and which mention a trade between the prisoners of the parties at war”.

Syria's opposition coalition condemned on Monday Iran and Hizbullah's “interference in Syrian matters”, considering it “a violation of international agreements that cannot be ignored”.

"The testimonies of several Syrians and the events documented so far all confirm a direct involvement of Hizbullah in the criminal activities in the country,” a statement released by the coalition said, elaborating that the party explains that it is “supporting President Bashar Assad against a conspiracy targeting him”.

The United Nations announced on Monday that it is committed to support Lebanon in holding the parliamentary elections on time.

“We stress on our commitment to support Lebanon's efforts towards having the parliamentary elections on time, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly stated after a meeting between the international organization, a European Union delegation and donors, and that discussed the steps undertaken to date in this regard.

A Beirut delegation has met with the kidnappers of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria, the Turkish state-run Anadolu agency reported on Monday.

"Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has deputed a delegation to hold talks with the abductors in Syria's northern city of Aazaz,” the agency said.

The Syndicate Coordination Committee confirmed on Monday its open-ended strike, which is set for Tuesday, after the government's failure to refer the new wage scale proposal to parliament.

It warned that it may escalate its measures by occupying ministries if its demands are not met.

Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel stressed on Monday the need to reach an agreement over a parliamentary electoral law that offers best representation for all powers and which enjoys the greatest consensus.

He said after the party's weekly politburo meeting: “It is time for all sides to abandon their arrogance and reach an electoral law that offers real Christian representation.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati denied on Monday reports saying that he resigned from his post as a premier, stressing that he is committed to the electoral draft-law proposed by his cabinet.

“We heard the news and laughed at it,” Miqati told reporters after a ministerial committee session at the Grand Serail.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted on Monday that constantly debating the possession of arms outside of the authority of the state will not help resolve this issue, stating that President Michel Suleiman had clearly stipulated that the national dialogue will help settle this dispute.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “Adhering to Baabda Declaration and Suleiman's principles is necessary to redirect the arms to their rightful role away from the Syrian crisis.”