Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived on Wednesday evening in The Hague to participate in the first session of the trial of the four suspects accused of carrying out the assassination of his father, late premier Rafik Hariri.

Hariri arrived to The Hague from Paris on board a private jet and he was accompanied by deputy Speaker MP Farid Makari, MPs Marwan Hamadeh and Sami Gemayel, former minister Bassem Sabeh, ex-MP Ghattas Khoury, and Hariri's chief of staff, Nader Hariri, a statement released by the ex-PM's office said.

The Hague - Naharnet feature

The positioning of journalists who flew to The Netherlands to cover the first session of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon reflects the division and the rift in the Lebanese society towards the trial of the alleged assassins of former premier Rafik Hariri as representatives of local media outlets checked into different hotels in The Hague and the municipality of Leidschendam, each according to their political views and their opinions on the works of the STL.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced on Wednesday the assignment of Judge Nicola Lettieri to the Trial Chamber, following his appointment last week by the U.N. Secretary-General as the new international alternate judge.

“President of the Tribunal (David Baragwanath) assigned Lettieri to the Trial Chamber of the STL,” a statement released by the STL said.

Paris - Naharnet Exclusive Report

Officials concerned with Lebanese affairs in the French administration assured on Wednesday that the Saudi Arabian donation to the military institution has taken its first steps towards implementation.

Two Syrian abductees were released on Wednesday in the northern Bekaa town of Shaat, after al-Meqdad clan mediated with the kidnappers.

"Abdul Latif and Firas Meqdad were freed after the Meqdad clan mediated with the abductors,” the state-run National News Agency reported.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Wednesday Lebanon's commitment to international resolutions, while highlighting the importance of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in ending impunity in Lebanon.

He said on the eve of the beginning of the STL trial: “The tribunal is a step towards holding criminals accountable for their actions.”

The United States pledged on Wednesday 76 million dollars to Lebanon to help it cope with the rising number of Syrian refugees escaping the war in their country, the state-run National News Agency reported.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told caretaker Premier Najib Miqati during a meeting they held in Kuwait that the U.S. earmarked 76 million dollars to Lebanon to support the Syrian refugees, NNA said.

Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati reiterated on Wednesday his call on the international community to set up camps inside Syrian territories to host the refugees after they posed a huge burden on Lebanon.

“The international community should take seriously the idea to establish safe camps inside Syria,” Miqati said at the international fundraising conference in Kuwait.

Israeli troops crossed on Wednesday the Blue Line border in southern Lebanon, announced the Army Command in a statement.

It said that at 7:22 am on Wednesday, eight soldiers crossed the Blue Line at the Mais al-Jabal region and walked 20 meters into Lebanese territory.

Caretaker Labor Minister Salim Jreissati stressed on Wednesday that there would not be any discharge of any employee from the KVA service provider company without referring to the Labor Ministry.

“Agreement has been reached with KVA management to abide by the law, mainly article 50 of the labor law, which bans discharging employees before consulting and discussing the matter with the labor ministry,” said Jreissati in a TV appearance after meeting with KVA officials.