Speaker Nabih Berri lashed out at critics on Tuesday, stressing that he sought consensus between the political foes over a new electoral law.

“I didn't neglect my responsibilities and did everything I can for the rival parties to reach common ground,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam proposed during his meeting with President Michel Suleiman on Saturday, a new government formula composed of 16 independent ministers in a bid to solve the controversial issue of lining up the cabinet, media reports said on Tuesday.

“Salam visited the presidential palace on Saturday with a new idea to form a cabinet composed of 16 independent ministers,” reported al-Akhbar daily.

A delegation from the Free Patriotic Movement submitted on Monday before the Constitutional Council a challenge against the parliament''s term extension.

“We consider this moment crucial,” FPM lawmaker Ibrahim Kanaan told reporters, expressing hope that justice and the constitution would prevail.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri expressed concern on Monday that the turmoil in the region could spill over into Lebanon, stressing that his country is keen to preserve stability in the country.

“Saudi Arabia will always stand by Lebanon,” Asiri said in an interview with An Nahar newspaper.

Israeli warplanes overflew Beirut, the eastern town of Baalbek that borders Syria, and southern Lebanon at low altitude Sunday, prompting a call for a complaint with the United Nations.

President Michel Suleiman tasked Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour with filing an urgent complaint with the U.N. over the overflights “which covered all Lebanese regions, including the capital Beirut,” said a terse statement.

A meeting held between Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has encouraged Miqati to call for a national dialogue to resolve the country’s political and security problems, high-ranking sources said.

The sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat published Sunday that the meeting, which was held three weeks ago, was aimed at restoring ties between Miqati and Hizbullah.

President Michel Suleiman is seeking to call for an extraordinary parliamentary session to allow the legislature to extend its term for only two months during which it would agree on a new electoral law, former Minister Khalil Hrawi said.

Hrawi made his announcement to An Nahar daily published Sunday. The ex-minister had been tasked by Suleiman to brief Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on his latest decision to challenge a law to extend parliament's term for 17 months.

President Michel Suleiman submitted on Saturday an appeal to challenge the parliament's decision to extend its mandate, calling on the Constitutional Council to “legally and neutrally” study this file.

“I wish the Council studies the challenge by adopting an entirely neutral and legal perspective to allow the parliament to consider shortening the extension and to push for adopting a new electoral law,” Suleiman urged in a speech he gave after with submitting the challenge before the Constitutional Council.

The parliament's decision to postpone the upcoming elections and extend its term 17 months because of deteriorating security conditions related to Syria's turmoil was officially announced and published in the official gazette.

Friday's extension decision comes after rival blocs in the legislature failed to agree on a new elections law.

Efforts to form a new government are set to be revived in light of settling the dispute over the extension of parliament's term and the consequent postponement of the parliamentary elections, reported the daily An Nahar Saturday.

Informed March 14 political sources told the daily that the new efforts will focus on forming a political cabinet not comprised of figures affiliated with political parties.