The Lebanese Higher Shiite Council has banned the use of weapons or violence in reaction to political or sectarian differences, The Daily Star reported on Friday.

In a statement issued following its regular monthly meeting, the council said it was forbidden to launch "any attacks or use arms against anyone over political discord."

Lebanon "is in a state of political and economic paralysis due to the lack of serious solutions to the political deadlock," it added, saluting the efforts of all Lebanese who are "working hard to avoid sectarian strife."

"Wise Lebanese leaders" were urged to sit together and come up with a solution to the crisis as foreign intervention in domestic affairs "only contributes to worsening the situation and increasing tensions," the Council said.

Since the Lebanese opposition began camping outside government headquarters in downtown Beirut on Dec. 1 last year, in a bid to bring down Premier Fouad Seniora's cabinet, deadly clashes broke out between pro- and anti-government supporters, leaving hundreds of casualties.

Lebanese sectarian tension began to escalate when six ministers resigned after Seniora and the anti-Syrian majority in the parliament rejected the opposition's demand for a new national unity government.

In the wake of their resignation, the opposition said that Seniora's government had lost its legitimacy since Shiite Muslims are no longer represented.

However, the anti-Syrian ruling parliamentary majority has accused the opposition of doing Damascus and Tehran's bidding and seeking to undermine the formation of an international tribunal on the case of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's killing. (Xinhua)

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