Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji snapped back at his critics on Monday and said in his Order of the Day that the military won’t allow turning the nation into a battleground for Syrian differences.

“No matter where the situation in Syria leads to, the army will be in utmost readiness to play its role and assume its national responsibilities in accordance with the decisions of the political authority in limiting the repercussions of these events on Lebanon, protecting the residents of border regions and preventing strife,” Qahwaji said.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said on Monday that he isn’t planning on becoming the next Lebanese president but if he was elected “by coincidence” he wouldn’t mind.

“Just like I was tasked by coincidence to head the Interior Ministry I wouldn’t say no to the presidency as it is the right of any Maronite,” Charbel said in an interview with al-Liwaa newspaper.

General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza’s tenure ended on Monday as the name of the successor remains unclear. Mirza served for 45 years in the judiciary.

Media sources said that Judge Samir Hammoud is expected to become the acting General Prosecutor due to seniority awaiting the cabinet’s decision regarding the issue.

President Michel Suleiman presided a meeting on Monday to tackle the latest developments on the so-called telecom data handed to security agencies investigating assassination plots against Lebanese officials, al-Akhbar daily reported.

The meeting, its second since July 21, was attended by Prime Minister Najib Miqati, involved ministers and the security chiefs, the newspaper said.

Electricite du Liban announced on Monday that it will consider the company as “forcibly closed” after contract workers shut the company’s entrances in Mar Mikhael in Beirut.

It warned in a statement that this measure “will lead to a power blackout throughout Lebanon within the next few hours.”

The cabinet discussed on Monday an electoral draft-law proposed by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel that is likely to hit a stumbling block over the rejection of ministers loyal to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat to adopt it.

The cabinet that convened at Baabda Palace agreed however to continue discussions on the draft-law that is based on proportional representation, Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said.

Two people were killed and five others were wounded on Sunday when a dispute between the families of Shaaban and Zahra erupted into gunfire in the Tripoli district of Bab al-Tabbaneh, state-run National News Agency reported.

The wounded were rushed to the Islamic Hospital in Tripoli as Internal Security Forces and army troops arrived immediately on the scene and contained the situation, NNA said.

One of the abducted Lebanese Shiite pilgrims in Syria on Sunday confirmed that the 11 kidnapped men are in the remote Aleppo area of Aazaz, blaming Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, without naming him, for their protracted captivity.

“We are in good health and we are in the remote Aazaz area which is liberated and not witnessing any bombardment,” abductee Ali Abbas said in a phone interview with LBCI.

The General Security received from Syrian authorities on Sunday two Italian technicians who went missing in Syria a few days ago.

The General Security announced in a statement that Oriano Cantari, 64, and Domenico Tedeschi, 36, were handed over to it after three days of coordination with the concerned powers.

Syrian renewed on Sunday its demand to Lebanon to prevent the infiltration of “terrorist groups” from its territories into its own.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem stated: “We hope Lebanon would help thwart the infiltration, which will benefit it and Syria.”