Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas praised on Wednesday evening the Maronite Patriarch's anticipated visit to Jerusalem, considering that it contributes to “strengthening Muslim-Christian coexistence as well as the Arabic identity” of the occupied Palestinian territories.

"We highly appreciate, respect and welcome Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's visit to the Holy Land and meeting with the city's people,” Abbas said in a telephone call with Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, according to a statement published on the state-run National News Agency.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Lebanon was still denying entry to Palestinians fleeing the war in neighboring Syria Wednesday, despite its insistence there was "no decision" to keep them out.

"UNRWA has been monitoring the situation at the crossing point at Masnaa between Lebanon and Syria and can report that no Palestine refugees from Syria have been allowed into Lebanon today and that some families trying to cross have been refused entry," said UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness.

The Syndicate Coordination Committee on Wednesday called for a first of a kind general strike for an entire week starting Thursday, ahead of a mass demonstration to protest the new wage scale draft law presented by MPs.

“We announce a one-week general strike as of tomorrow and until next Wednesday in the public sector, public administrations, ministries and at the Grand Serail,” SCC chief Hanna Gharib declared at a press conference.

A rocket landed Wednesday in a town in northern Bekaa, causing material damage, as the shadowy Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade claimed responsibility for the shelling.

“A rocket fell on the town of Ain al-Jawzeh between Hourtaala and Brital, near the house of Samir Darwish,” state-run National News Agency reported.

The owners of the old rent law buildings urged on Wednesday President Michel Suleiman to sign the new rent draft-law after he refused to sign it earlier during the day.

They urged during a sit-in in Beirut's al-Mathaf area the president against “washing his hands clean” of this affair, refuting his claims that the draft-law does not grant social justice.

The Contempt Judge at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has ordered initial appearances on Tuesday, May 13 of the accused in the case against New TV S.A.L. and Karma Khayat, and of the Accused in the case against Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and Ibrahim al-Amin, announced the STL in a statement on Wednesday.

“The two journalists and two media organizations were charged with contempt before the tribunal for knowingly and willfully interfering with the administration of justice,” it added.

The Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed that no cases of infection with the deadly MERS coronavirus have been recorded in Lebanon until the moment, reassuring that its preventative measures are sufficient.

“I call on the Lebanese not to panic over the MERS coronavirus,” Health Minister Wael Abou Faour said at a press conference, following media reports that a case was registered at Beirut's Hotel Dieu hospital.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani criticized on Wednesday the failure of the third round of the presidential elections, warning that Lebanon will witness hard times should vacuum arise in the presidency.

He said: “Lawmakers are condemning all the Lebanese people by failing to elect a president.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused on Wednesday the March 8 alliance of seeking to impose its candidate over others, slamming its demand for the election of a consensual president.

He said during a press conference after the failure of the third round of the presidential elections: “The boycott of the session is not aimed at the election of a consensual president, but it has the objective to impose a candidate over others.”

The Maronite Bishops Council lamented on Wednesday lawmakers' ongoing failure to elect a president, voicing their concern over the possibility of vacuum in Lebanon's top post.

It said after its monthly meeting chaired by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “The MPs' remarks on vacuum is a cause for concern and a sign of their political ineptitude.”