DAMASCUS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Syrian People's Assembly (parliament) staged a sit-in on Tuesday in solidarity with their Lebanese counterparts to protest an Israeli blockade on Lebanon, the official SANA news agency reported.

    The legislators voiced support to their Lebanese counterparts who have been carrying out a sit-in since Saturday in a cable message sent to Lebanese parliament head Nabih Berri, the report said.

    "We in Syria, under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad... stand by you to complete reaping the victory fruits," the message said.

    The Lebanese sit-in, launched by Berri who took part in the protest along with two ministers and nine deputies, is expected to continue until the blockade is lifted.

    Israel imposed blockade and launched a massive military offensive against Lebanon on July 12 after Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight others in a cross-border attack.

    Although the 34-day-long fighting between the two sides ended on Aug. 14 under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Israel vowed to keep its blockade until a UN peacekeeping force takes control of south Lebanon to guarantee the safety of the Jewish state. Enditem