Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi hailed on Wednesday Saudi Arabia's financial donation to the Lebanese army, hoping that it would pave the way to Lebanese political initiatives among the rival parties.

He said during new year mass: “We hope the donation will help lead to an understanding between the rival powers and to the formation of a new government.”

Saudi authorities beheaded a Pakistani man on Tuesday after he was convicted of smuggling drugs into the ultra-conservative kingdom, the interior ministry announced.

Zufar Iqbal Mohammed Khan was arrested as he was smuggling a large amount of heroin into the kingdom, said a statement carried by the SPA news agency.

Army Intelligence recently arrested a suspect wanted by Saudi Arabia and a member of al-Nusra Front in Syria, reported LBCI television on Tuesday.

It said that Majed al-Majed was arrested about a week ago in Beirut.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday described the announced Saudi donation to the Lebanese Army as an “important step,” urging all parties to respond to it positively.

“It is a must to laud and hail the important step that was achieved through the Saudi-French cooperation that is aimed at supporting and boosting the capabilities of the Lebanese Army,” said Jumblat in a statement issued by the PSP.

The Saudi interior ministry on Monday warned citizens against falling for unauthorized fundraising campaigns, saying some of those claiming to raise money for Syrian refugees are in fact donating to "suspicious" groups.

Security authorities have orders to "arrest those who raise funds without having permits," ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.

Caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn on Monday stressed that “the Lebanese army has clear orders from the political authority to respond to any attack against Lebanese territory in the vein of what happened in Arsal.”

"The Lebanese army is protecting Lebanese territory and we're very clear when we say that the army is separate from politics and political bickering," Ghosn said in an interview with LBCI television.

The Change and Reform parliamentary bloc on Monday announced that it welcomes the Saudi donation to the Lebanese army “in principle,” wondering if the kingdom will impose certain conditions on Lebanon following this move.

“We consider the Saudi donation to the army as a declaration of intent and in principle, we welcome any assistance to the army because it is the pillar of security and stability and the mind and heart of all the Lebanese,” said MP Ibrahim Kanaan after the bloc's weekly meeting in Rabieh.

President Michel Suleiman hoped on Monday that the new year will witness the formation of a new government.

He said: “Lebanon should take advantage of the current international support in order to form a new cabinet.”

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam stressed on Monday that the Saudi 3 billion dollars grant proves that Lebanon still enjoys support from its friends, who are ready to fortify its strength and legal institutions.

“The grant gives us hope” amid the ongoing local developments, Salam said in comments published in the Saudi Okaz newspaper.

Lebanon is set to receive a new grant to aid the Lebanese army from the United Arab of Emirates, media reports said on Monday.

The grants aim at bolstering the Lebanese army’s capabilities amid the rising security threats as the turmoil in war-torn neighboring Syria is spilling over into the country.