Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Edgard Maalouf was hospitalized on Sunday after he suffered from hypertension and collapsed during a mass in Bkirki.

Dr. Charles Jazra told OTV however that Maalouf was in a stable condition and could resume his functions soon.

Israeli warplanes on Sunday staged mock air raids over southern Lebanon and flew at a low altitude over Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa.

“Starting 10:10 am today, Israel carried out mock air raids at a medium altitude over the areas of Nabatiyeh, Iqlim al-Tuffah, Marjayoun and Khiam,” Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea denied on Sunday there was a crisis in his party’s ties with the seat of the Maronite church in Bkirki despite severe criticism of Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s statements on Syria.

In remarks to a visiting delegation of women from the LF branch in Zahle, Geagea admitted that he had a “sharp reaction” to al-Rahi’s statements despite his respect for the patriarch’s seat.

Israel has warned Lebanese authorities against a march by protestors to areas bordering the Jewish state on Land Day to mark the loss of Arab lands in the Galilee, Israeli daily Haaretz reported Sunday.

“Israel has asked Lebanon, using intermediaries, to stop its residents from approaching the Israeli border on Friday as part of Land Day protests,” the newspaper said.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi rejected on Sunday any form of violence in Lebanon and elsewhere and called for “sustainable reconciliation” among the Lebanese.

In his sermon on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the first anniversary of his election, al-Rahi said: “Based on our Christian culture we reject and condemn any violence committed on our territories or anywhere else.”

Christian and Muslim spiritual leaders meeting on Sunday in Bkirki called for “immunizing national unity on the basis of coexistence and protecting it from any repercussions of the events taking place in the region.”

The summit was held on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the first anniversary of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s election.

Sources close to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat warned spiritual leaders that are set to meet in Bkirki on Sunday against not stressing an end to the violent crackdown of the Syrian regime on protestors.

The sources said that the Muslim and Christian spiritual leaders should take a clear stance from the Syrian crisis and stress the need for a political solution based on an Arab League plan for President Bashar Assad to transfer power to his deputy.

The cabinet is scheduled to make several appointments of civil servants to posts in state institutions next week after a several month standstill, An Nahar daily reported Sunday.

It said the cabinet agenda includes three articles on the appointment of the chief of staff at the Civil Service Council, the director-general of the ministerial affairs at the general directorate of the premiership, the head of research at the Civil Service Council.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil has vowed to issue a strong response to a proposal by Premier Najib Miqati to build a power plant that would generate 500 Megawatts of electricity instead of giving his consent to tenders won by two companies on providing power-generating vessels.

Bassil refused to comment on a report drafted by Miqati that was circulated to ministers on Saturday as part of the 76-item agenda of the cabinet that is set to convene at Baabda Palace next week.

Premier Najib Miqati said his suggestion to build a power plant that would generate 500 Megawatts of electricity would cost the treasury less than a proposal made by Energy Minister Jebran Bassil to lease vessels, a move that is likely to lead to a clash between them.

In a six-page report that he proposed to the cabinet for discussion at Baabda Palace on Wednesday, Miqati said the establishment of the power plant takes a year and would cost maximum 480 million dollars for at least a 25-year service.