Gulf News: Sa'ad Hariri 'ignoring interests of country'.

Dubai: A Lebanese Sunni group on Thursday accused Parliamentary majority leader, Sa'ad Hariri, of exerting illegitimate pressure on other political and community groups in the country to freeze reconciliation efforts with Hezbollah.

Speaking to Gulf News, Shaikh Bilal Saeed Sha'ban, Secretary General of the Islamic Unity Movement (Tawhid) in Lebanon, blamed Hariri for hijacking the decision of the Sunni community for political reasons while ignoring the interests of civil peace in the country.

"Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Hariri is serving the US interests of further dividing the region to rule it," he said.

In a telephone interview, Shaikh Sha'ban said the freezing of the agreement between the groups of Salafi Muslims and Hezbollah signed on Monday was due to security and community pressures because it was concluded without consulting the Mustaqbal stream and its leader Hariri.

He said claims about tensions in the Sunni street against Shiites are not realistic.

"Hariri wants to be the sole representative of Sunnis in such a reconciliation agreement which has resulted in a freezing of the agreement," he said.

Sha'ban said the agreement signed by Dr Hassan Al Shahal, Chief of the Faith, Justice and Philanthropy Society and representatives from Hezbollah was rejected by Hariri because it meant that he was not the sole leader of Sunnis in Lebanon.

Sha'ban said the Al Tawheed movement was not represented in the agreement, which he described as a great effort to avert a sectarian divide on the eve of parliamentary elections.

Lebanese political factions started preparations for the next parliamentary election due to be conducted next year shortly after signing the Doha agreement in May, which paved the way to elect Michel Sulaiman to fill the post of president which remained vacant for more than six months. The election is crucial for the Hariri group to maintain their majority in parliament.

Sha'ban said Hariri's move is not in the interest of the country's sectarian peace and might result in a deadly confrontation in the future.

"In my opinion, winning an extra seat in parliament is not more important than civil peace."

"Although the Al Tawheed movement did not sign the agreement, we think every effort to ease tension is welcomed. Some regional and international powers including the US are not willing to see Sunni patching up with Shiites in Lebanon and elsewhere.

Sha'ban did not explain why he did not sign the agreement, but said he would support its spirit even if those who signed it decided earlier this week decided to freeze it.

He said Hariri could not impose his will and election tactics on others.

"Sunnis in Lebanon have not voted for a single leader and Hariri should understand that unless he respects the interests of other leaders; he will not be able to speak on behalf of Sunnis," Sha'ban said.

Sha'ban said 400 of his movement are currently in custody in Lebanon for no reason but to satisfy the US.

"We are fed up with this two-faced approach used by the US to set off sectarian conflict in the region. We Sunnis cannot play into the hands of the US and if Hariri has a different view he should stop imposing it on others," Sha'ban added.

In my opinion, winning an extra seat in parliament is not more important than civil peace."