Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon will be able to overcome the “critical situation” as long as its people are backing the military institution.

“We will not go back in time. The army will not allow anyone to use Lebanon as a sanctuary for importing or exporting strife,” Qahwaji said during a meeting with the Lebanese community in the UK.

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed belief on Tuesday that the rival political parties in Lebanon are gearing up for the 2014 presidential elections.

“The battle over the 2013 electoral draft law is linked to the presidential elections... It reveals the votes of the newly elected MPs,” Berri said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati shrugged off fears of Hizbullah's involvement in any future war between Israel and Iran, saying the party is wise and has pledged to steer Lebanon clear of regional conflicts.

“Hizbullah is lately behaving very wisely,” Miqati told reporters in New York. “It has given its consent to the Baabda Declaration that states keeping Lebanon away from the policies of axes and regional and international conflicts.”

Speaker Nabih Berri discussed with al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc head MP Fouad Saniora a wide range of issues including the electoral draft law and the social and economy situation.

Sources told An Nahar newspaper published on Tuesday this is the first meeting held between the two since the cabinet of ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri was toppled in January 2011 by the March 8 alliance, in which Berri is a key player.

The different factions of the March 14 opposition alliance held a series of meetings on Monday to join forces in proposing a draft-electoral law that satisfies all parties, An Nahar daily reported.

The newspaper said that al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora discussed with several other opposition leaders the electoral law.

Lebanon is technically ready to start drilling for offshore natural gas reserves, Energy Minister Jebran Bassil said on Monday, after exploration in around half the country's exclusive economic zone was completed.

"Lebanon has now reached the stage where it can start drilling for gas," Bassil told journalists on a tour to an area in the south of the country where reserves are disputed with Israel and Cyprus.

Judge Nadim Zwein prohibited on Monday the airing of the anti-Islam film, Innocence of Muslims, in Lebanon due to its “great offense” to Islam.

The decision was made after it was found that the movie contained several scenes that are considered to be offensive.

Officer Abbas Jomaa died at dawn on Monday from wounds he sustained during clashes with wanted suspects al-Ghobairi neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs.

He was laid to rest during an official funeral that was attended by a number of political and military officials.

Military Tribunal Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Monday 45 people over an attack against a KFC fast food restaurant in the northern city of Tripoli, a judicial source told AFP.

The attack was carried out during a protest staged by Islamists in the port city on September 14, during which some 300 demonstrators rallied to denounce a U.S.-made film that mocks Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

Syria's Ministry of Information on Monday denied the sacking of the country's ambassador to Lebanon and said a previous email announcement was a result of hacking, state television reported.

"The email account of the ministry was hacked in order to publish inaccurate information" about the reported dismissal of the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali, the ministry said in a statement carried by state television.