Hizbullah: Climax by month's end

The series of mass rallies and sit-ins in Beirut designed to topple the Lebanese government of Fuad Siniora will "reach a climax before January 25 ," according to Hizbullah's leadership, which was quoted in a report Saturday in the Lebanese Daily Star.

The Star cited Hizbullah member of parliament, Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, as saying: "Today we accept a national unity government. Soon we will only be satisfied with early parliamentary elections, come what may."

The vow of an escalation in the coming days in Beirut protests represent yet another attempt by Hizbullah to create sufficient momentum to bring down the Siniora government, which has so far withstood the repeated attempts on its political life.

According to the Daily Star, Lebanese Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, said a storm was heading in the direction of Lebanon, and he warned that the crisis will "only get bigger and much worse." Berri said he hoped "this time someone will listen in time," the report added.

President Emile Lahoud, who is backed by the Syrians, and is viewed by his opponents as a puppet of Damascus, said that the Siniora government "no longer exists," and dismissed all cabinet decisions as "null and void," the Star added.