Lebanon’s Hizbollah on Sunday called on incumbent President Emile Lahoud to take action if rival political leaders are unable to agree on a consensus president in next week’s election.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday it was likely that Syria would be invited to an upcoming Middle East peace conference in the United States.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday hailed a “historic opportunity” for peace as his people marked the third anniversary of the death of his iconic predecessor Yasser Arafat.