Kataeb party leader Sami Gemayel deplored on Monday the cabinet's tendency to impose new tax reforms to fund the long-stalled wage scale and stressed that corruption and squandering of public funds must instead be stopped.

“We stand beside the employees' rightful request and we will vote in favor of the wage scale, but we cannot turn a blind eye on the political authority's shameful and disgraceful approach. The problem is not about the pay hike, but rather about the revenues to finance it,” said Gemayel.

Unidentified gunmen opened gunfire at a cement factory in the Mount Lebanon town of Ain Dara after the town's residents refused the establishment of factories in the area over health issues, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

NNA said the assailants, who were not identified, have opened gunfire at an under construction cement factory that belongs to the Fattouch family in Ain Dara in the outskirts of Dahr al-Baydar.

The Kataeb party has invited politicians and activists from the March 14 alliance to participate in a ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of March 14, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

The party has invited tens of March 14 political figures and activists to participate in a ceremony held on the occasion in the party's headquarters, it added.

Saudi Foreign Minster Adel al-Jubeir has reportedly said that the United States and Israel plan to wage a war against Iran and Hizbullah, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

During a visit to Iraq in February, al-Jubeir spoke of a future war that Washington and Tel Aviv intend to wage against Iran and Hizbullah, the daily quoted unnamed sources on condition of anonymity.

Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat on Sunday renewed his reservations over the proportional representation electoral system, noting that he would back such a law only if it preserves an accepted level of “partnership.”

Newly-appointed Army Commander General Joseph Aoun took part in Sunday Mass in Bkirki, four days after the government named him as the new army chief.

Former Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi on Saturday lauded the positions of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi that lashed out at Hizbullah's possession of arms and its intervention in Syria's war.

Kataeb party leader MP Sami Gemayel emphasized on Saturday that Palestinian arms spread out inside the refugee camps threaten Lebanon's sovereignty.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri is determined to approve Lebanon's 2017 budget plan early next week after Friday's cabinet meeting devoted to pursue the issue failed to complete discussions, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Members of the cabinet chaired by Hariri did not finalize Friday evening the needed discussions to approve the budget plan, Hariri has therefore scheduled another session on Monday afternoon at 4:00 at the Grand Serail to wrap up discussions.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stated that Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian war has divided and embarrassed the Lebanese between those supporting the move and others opposing it.

“Hizbullah has engaged in the war in Syria without taking into consideration the State's dissociation policy. It has divided the Lebanese upon themselves, some supporting its step and others totally refusing it,” said al-Rahi in an interview on Sky News Arabia on Friday.