Nasrallah Thanks Hariri for Committing to Calm Rhetoric

Political aide to Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hussein Khalil, has contacted Prime Minister Saad Hariri to thank him on behalf of Nasrallah for committing to calm rhetoric, local media reported Sunday.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday also reported that Hizbullah and Hariri's Mustaqbal Movement have vowed to end political bickering.

It said head of Hizbullah's Coordination and Liaison Committee Wafiq Safa has informed a source close to Hariri that the Shiite group has decided to refrain from responding to political statements.

Safa also reportedly said that Hizbullah officials and MPs were given orders to end political bickering.

Al-Hayat said Mustaqbal Movement officials and MPs also received similar orders.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah attacked in a Friday televised speech "political exploitation" of the Aug. 24 street battles in Beirut between Hizbullah and al-Ahbash, a pro-Syrian Sunni radical group.

Al-Hayat said Hariri has informed Druze leader Walid Jumblat in a telephone call that the prime minister was being "targeted" by Nasrallah and statements criticizing him were "no longer acceptable."