BEIRUT, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora criticized Tuesday the demonstrations staged in front of the Egyptian embassy in Beirut, local Naharnet website reported.

    "The demonstrations lead to more tensions," Seniora told reporters after he joined the meeting between Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and his French counterpart Nicola Sarkozy at the presidential palace in Babbda.

    Seniora ruled out any Israeli aggression against Lebanon, and stressed the need to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the opening of all crossings to the Strip.

    Demonstrations were carried out in front of the Egyptian embassy in west Beirut since the beginning of the Israeli operation against Gaza on Dec. 27.

    Demonstrators denounced the Egyptian decision to close Rafah crossing, and urged for lifting the blockade imposed on Gaza, they also criticized "Arab silence to the massacres committed against the Palestinian people."

    Egypt, an important regional power and active mediator of the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, has been engaged in intensive diplomatic and relieving efforts to find a solution to the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip.

    On Monday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak also held talks with his visiting French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on means of ending the current Israeli attacks against Gaza.

    The two leaders discussed the ongoing Egyptian efforts to help reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They also tackled means of restoring calmness between the Palestinians and Israel in order to pave the way for the resumption of their stalled peace talks leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.