The parliamentary majority intends to demand a probe into the “financial scandals” allegedly committed by previous governments, in a bid to hit back at the opposition’s call for a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the issue of power-generating vessels, al-Manar television reported on Wednesday.

Al-Manar said a meeting was held between Speaker Nabih Berri and MPs Mohammed Raad, Ibrahim Kanaan and Ayyoub Hmayyed, during which they discussed the opposition’s call for a commission of inquiry.

The Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Paolo Serra, chaired on Wednesday a tripartite meeting with senior officials from the Lebanese and Israeli armies at the U.N. position at Ras al-Naqoura, announced UNIFIL in a statement.

“It was a special tripartite meeting called at the initiative of the force commander and with the agreement of the representatives of the parties to discuss the security situation in the Shabaa Farms area following the Israeli army’s decision to construct a patrol road,” it said.

The various land transport unions in Lebanon will go on strike on Thursday morning in protest against the rise in fuel prices.

The strike was supposed to be held last week, but it was postponed at the request of a ministerial committee headed by Prime Minister Najib Miqati, which was seeking to find a solution that would appease the drivers but to no avail.

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc condemned on Tuesday Hizbullah and its allies’ conduct during last week’s parliamentary session that was aimed at assessing the government’s performance.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “Hizbullah is seeking to follow the example of its Syrian ally through going to extremes in defending the government’s mistakes in the power and telecommunications sectors, among others.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Tuesday that Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea was the first to begin the wave of accusations linked to the failed attempt on his life.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “Geagea has jumped to conclusions over the failed assassination attempt before the investigations have reached a result.”

The U.N. Security Council on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution allowing a 300-strong ceasefire monitoring mission in Syria despite the strong doubts of many Western nations.

Under U.N. resolution 2043, the unarmed military observers will be sent for an initial period of 90 days if U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon decides it is safe for them to go.

The government on Thursday survived a vote of no confidence in parliament, amid a walkout by March 14 MPs and the presence of the Phalange bloc.

The vote of no confidence was requested by Phalange bloc MP Sami Gemayel, who withheld confidence in the government along with only two other lawmakers.

Phalange bloc MP Sami Gemayel on Thursday announced that he withholds confidence from Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s government, during the third round of parliamentary debate over the government’s policies.

“We withhold confidence from this government and this is our democratic duty and everyone must shoulder their responsibilities,” Gemayel said.

Ten vehicles belonging to the team of U.N. observers overseeing Syria’s shaky ceasefire arrived at the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport on Wednesday.

“Over the past hours, a private Italian jet landed at the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport carrying a Land Cruiser SUV. It was followed by three other planes coming from the Czech Republic and carrying nine vehicles belonging to the U.N. observers in Syria,” Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

The evening round on the second day of parliamentary debate on the government’s policies was rife with harsh criticism from the opposition and calls for better performance from the ruling camp, amid several verbal clashes over Hizbullah’s controversial arsenal of weapons.

MP Hassan Fadlallah, member of Hizbullah’s Loyalty to Resistance bloc, snapped back at the rival March 14 camp over accusations that his party had notably remained silent over the recent controversial release of Brig. Gen. Fayez Karam from prison, less than two years after he was convicted of collaborating with Israel.