Democratic Gathering bloc MP Wael Abou Faour criticized on Saturday a decree reportedly signed by President Michel Aoun granting Lebanese citizenship to foreigners and Syrian businessmen.

Lebanon’s new government to be formed by PM-designate Saad Hariri will not “isolate” any political party, amid assurances that any obstacle threatening the formation process will be “overcome,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Sources of President Michel Aoun said: “The new government will not isolate anyone,” noting that the “Lebanese Forces are not targeted at all,” and that their concerns have been addressed during a meeting between the President and LF chief Samir Geagea.

A Gulf official said in remarks he made to the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily on Saturday that the results of the parliamentary elections in Lebanon represented a “significant decline in favor of Hizbullah,” and that the party has “strengthened” its presence in the country’s state institutions.

MP Jamil al-Sayyed is set to stand as witness before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the assassination case of ex-PM Rafik Hariri and companions, Naharnet sources said on Friday.

According to the sources, former General Security head Sayyed will stand before the tribunal on June 5, 6 and 7.

Ex-minister and Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi criticized reports that Lebanon has issued a naturalization decree granting citizenship to foreigners saying “Lebanese citizenship is not for sale.”

A man has been found dead with gunshot wounds on the sidewalk outside Dbayeh’s marina, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

The Lebanese president Michel Aoun has reportedly “signed” a decree granting Lebanese citizenship to dozens of foreign nationals, including Syrian businessmen, despite widespread political and media opposition to the move dubbed as a prelude for“settlement,” the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Friday.

As political parties wrangle to allocate ministerial seats in the new government, controversy persists on whether the President and Prime Minister should have shares in the Cabinet separate from the shares allocated to their blocs.

First Military Investigative Judge Riad Abu Ghaida has issued an indictment in the case involving Lieutenant Colonel Suzanne al-Hajj, prominent actor Ziad Itani, and hacker Elie Ghabash, the State-run National News Agency reported on Thursday.

The indictment referred both Hajj and Ghabash to the permanent military court, while prevented the retrial of now-acquitted Itani, said NNA.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said on Thursday that contacts are in progress with the Syrian government in order to repatriate the Syrian refugees back to their homeland.

“Contacts with Syrian authorities are underway in a bid to return thousands of refugees back to their homes. The issue is imminent,” said Ibrahim during the inauguration ceremony of the General Security center in Jdeideh.