Hezbollah official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq on Thursday accused the U.S. and Saudi Arabia of “not wanting Lebanon to exit its crises,” charging that they are “working on preventing the Lebanese from engaging in dialogue and reaching consensus.”

“What’s happening at parliament’s sessions for the election of a president proves that the interferences of the U.S. and Saudi embassies have blocked and are blocking the election of a president within the constitutional timeframe, because they and their followers want to impose a presidential candidate for provocation, confrontation and dragging the country into a clash,” Qaouq said.

The Constitutional Council on Thursday dismissed five appeals filed against the parliamentary election wins of five lawmakers, Council chief Judge Tannous Meshleb said.

The five appeals were filed by Paul Hamod against MP Elias Khoury (Tripoli), by Mohammed Chafic Hammoud against MP Bilal al-Hosheimi (Zahle), by ex-MP Ibrahim Azar against MP Saeed al-Asmar (Jezzine), by Tanios Mahfouz against Jamil Abboud (Tripoli), and by the Hope and Loyalty list on behalf of Marwan Kheirddine against MP Firas Hamdan (Hasbaya-Marjeyoun).

Hezbollah is pressing PM-designate Najib Mikati and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil to form a government before the end of President Michel Aoun’s term, sources informed on the negotiations said.

“Aoun and Bassil were in favor of keeping the current government while changing all the Christian ministers who are part of the president’s share, but Mikati refused that, which led to a solution under which three Christian ministers would be changed in return for the three Muslim ministers that Mikati intends to change,” the sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Thursday.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has noted that the presidential election negotiations are deadlocked, decrying the lack of efforts to reach consensus over a new president.

Speaking to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, Berri said his specifications for the new president are “simple and clear yet essential.”

Parliament on Thursday failed for a third time to elect a successor to President Michel Aoun, stoking fears of a political vacuum after his mandate expires at the end of the month.

In a first round, fifty-five MPs cast blank votes and MP Michel Mouawad received 42 votes. 21 ballots were annulled, including votes for "The New Lebanon" by the Change MPs.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Wednesday said he is against amending the constitution in order elect Army chief Joseph Aoun as president, as he warned that there will be “more than social and constitutional chaos if a new government is not formed” before the end of President Michel Aoun’s term.

The members of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday commended the announcements that Lebanon and Israel have agreed to end their dispute over their maritime boundary and delineate it permanently.

"This is a major step, which will contribute to the stability, the security, and the prosperity of the region," the Council said in a press statement.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Wednesday the so-called Axis of Defiance of obstructing the election of a new president.

"The Axis of Defiance is directly responsible for any vacuum that could occur after October 31," Geagea said.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and Hezbollah coordination and liaison officer Wafiq Safa met Wednesday in Sin el-Fil with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, MTV reported.

“The meeting, which lasted around an hour and was followed by a several-minute meeting between Ibrahim and Safa, tackled the governmental file and the efforts aimed at forming a government prior to the end of President Michel Aoun’s term,” the TV network added.

Caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad announced Wednesday that cholera is rapidly spreading among Syrian refugees in Lebanon while warning that cases are on the rise among Lebanese citizens.

“We all know that the issue of water and the means to provide clean water are important as to the issue of the spread of cholera and we are doing efforts in this regard,” Abiad said at a press conference.