18/08/2008 Once again, Hezbollah signs a new memorandum of understanding with another Lebanese group, in a bid to preserve national unity and prevent sedition in the country.
 
Indeed, a memorandum of understanding was signed Monday between Hezbollah and the Salafist movement in a ceremony that was held at the Safir Metropolitan Hotel in Beirut. Hezbollah was represented in the ceremony by the head of its political council Sayyed Ibrahim Amin As-Sayyed, while the Salafist movement was represented by Sheikh Hassan Shahhal.
 
The Hezbollah-Salafist memorandum of understanding included eight main clauses, emphasizing the need to stay united to confront sedition schemes and plots.
 
"First of all, and based on the holiness of the Muslim's blood, we condemn any assault of one Islamic group against another," the memorandum read. "If any group was exposed to an assault, it can resort to all legitimate means to protect itself," it added.
 
The memorandum also stressed on the necessity to abandon incitement, which creates trouble and would allow the enemies to take advantage of the situation. It called on all Muslims to stay united against the Zionist-American scheme that aims at creating division and provoke sedition.
 
"In case either Hezbollah or the Salafists were subjected to injustice by domestic or external sides, it should be backed by the other side," the statement also read. It stipulated forming a religious committee to discuss any disagreement between the Muslim Shiites and Sunnis.
 
It concluded that every side was free in its beliefs and convictions, and no one has the right to impose his own ideas on the other, calling on to respect each others' points of views. It highlighted the fact that the understanding should play a role in preventing sedition between Muslims.
 
SAYYED IBRAHIM AS-SAYYED: UNDERSTANDING WILL BOTHER OUR ENEMIES
Sayyed Ibrahim Amin As-Sayyed, who represented Hezbollah in the ceremony, stressed that the memorandum will relieve people who call for unity, especially within the same confession, and it will bother our enemies who wanted to segregate us.
 
"Signing the memorandum is important because it will pave the way to solving controversial problems," his eminence noted, stressing that the misunderstandings were the result of incitement and blasphemy.
 
As-Sayyed also noted "there is a lot of work to be done, and meetings and discussions will help both sides reach an understanding," adding that "the enemies of the nation will face this memorandum, which is a courageous step in Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic World."
 
SHEIKH SHAHHAL: UNDERSTANDING WITH HEZBOLLAH COURAGEOUS STEP
For his part, Sheikh Shahhal said the understanding was a courageous step in order to support civil peace, predicting that this step will lead to positive initiatives.
 
He pointed out that all Salafists believe in dialogue, which has legitimate procedures, stressing at the same time that they wouldn't have signed the memorandum if they haven't received the Future Movement approval.