Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday condemned what it called “preemptive and suspicious” protests that have accompanied the government's state budget discussions as well as Monday's attempt to storm the Grand Serail by a number of retired servicemen protesting feared salary cuts.

“The government is asked to settle the ongoing bickering inside and outside Cabinet and it hopes the state budget will be finalized and sent to Parliament,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday said the austere budget measures planned by the government will “pay off” in the end and will help Lebanon overcome the economic “crisis.”

The Lebanese army gave an urgent notice to Syrian refugees in the Bekaa town of Arsal to remove all illegal cement-built camps before June 10, citing security reasons, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Tuesday.

In light of a US mediation between Lebanon and Israel over the border demarcation, Israel has reportedly “agreed” to the idea of ​​demarcation but refused to involve the UNIFIL forces in said talks, the Saudi Ashraq al-Awsat daily reported on Tuesday.

The United States and Israel are to blame for “the escalation and tensions in the region,” Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem told a U.N. official on Monday.

“The rhetoric being used by this front is a rhetoric of threats and war and this might push things to the brink of confrontation,” Qassem said to U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis during a meeting.

Lines of cars were seen queuing outside fuel stations in Lebanon on Monday as a customs strike threatened to spark a shortage crisis.

A statement issued by the union of companies that import oil to Lebanon meanwhile said the firms have failed to deliver new stocks to gas stations due to the strike of customs employees.

Information Minister Jamal al-Jarrah announced Monday that the Cabinet will hold its “final session” on the 2019 state budget on Tuesday, as Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil was accused of “delaying” discussions.

“I believe that tomorrow's session will be the final one and today the issue of ministers and MPs' salaries was discussed,” Jarrah said after Monday's session.

Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat on Monday criticized retired servicemen who tried to storm the Grand Serail during a cabinet session.

“Is it reasonable when a part of the state watches another part storming the Grand Serail? Is it reasonable to reach this extent of chaos only because it is required to reassess Measure No. 3 in order to curb spending?” Jumblat asked in a tweet.

The Cabinet called for the resignation of Beshara al-Asmar, the chief of General Confederation of Lebanese Workers against the backdrop of his leaked insulting remarks about ex-patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil threatened to resign from the government over accusations that he is delaying the approval of an already complicated state budget, media reports said on Monday.