Beirut, on December 11, 2012

The agreement between the Confessional Council and the Druze families in Beirut was announced under the patronage of the Council President of the Druze Unitarian Community the Sheikh Naim Hassan in presence of the members of the Council’s Board of Directors as well as the President and the members of the Waqfs Committee at the Confessional Council and the ones of Beirut inhabitants Waqfs Committee.
Hassan started the announcement with a speech emphasizing the “good wills that gave birth to this agreement, certifying the continuous hard work for the interest of all the sons of the Community”.
The President of the Waqfs Committee, the Judge Abbas El Halabi pronounced a speech stating that “regarding the Druze Community’s Waqfs in Beirut, many suggestions were proposed and which preserve the dignity and rights of Beirut inhabitants to the Waqfs at the Druze Unitarian Community, but unfortunately, these attempts were rejected and did not achieve the expected results in settling the language of wisdom and public interest for the Druze Unitarian Community.
He added: “However, we did not tarry on the difficulties we have faced and all the accusations addressed against the Council. Thus, a large number of Druze families in Beirut, which were keen the union of the word, the belonging and the position on one hand and on the interest of all the Druze Unitarian sons on the other hand, offered their assistance for what comes up with benefits to them. These families have taken the initiative not to leave this matter in the hands of those who are not keen on the interests of our parents in Beirut and the Unitarians in general. These same families have taken charge of managing its interests directly without any mediation and by a large authorization from the Druze families in Beirut and from the Confessional Council as well”.
He added: “this attempt was not easy to achieve because people with bad intentions and personal interests have made all potential efforts in order to paralyze any consensual attempt. However, the good will has prevailed and here we are today, declaring that we have got to this agreement by the benediction of our honorable Sheikhs and their wishes of success, and under the respectable patronage of the Leader Walid Jumblatt to whom Beirut inhabitants have resorted at the periods of difficulties and prosperity, and under the direct and careful supervision of many members of the Council and the Waqfs Committee as well as the Council President”.
He declared: “the present agreement we have come to, and which is up to the interests of Beirut Druze and the Unitarians in general, rejects the biased ads spread by some people during their visits to the regions and their attempt to convince the public opinion that the Confessional Council intends to deprive the Druze of Beirut from their rights, but on the contrary, it is returning the Community’s affairs to its position. No category is excluded from the law elaborated for the organization of the Community’s affairs in Lebanon and no faith in other than the elected legal institutions. This agreement represents a typical move to the future of the Community’s institutions and the services advantage offered to the Unitarians”.
El Zuhairi: Then, the president of Beirut inhabitants Waqfs Committee the engineer Akram El Zuhairi read a statement thanking Beirut’s wise and reasonable inhabitants, faithful to the understanding principle and keen on the ranks union and the position of those whose serious attempts have led to this historical agreement, which constitutes itself a legal and logical solution at the same time far away from the accumulation of contracts between the Druze Unitarian inhabitants in Beirut and the Confessional Council”.
His Eminence the Sheikh Akl the Sheikh Naim Hassan and the Council’s members, in particular the Public Waqfs Committee, thanked the MP Jumblatt for his permanent keenness on the Druze Community’s interest in general. We also recall the support and guiding of our spiritual leaderships that had assumed an essential role in what we have reached”.
He concluded: “this is our agenda for the coming days and we are willing to execute it literally. We have been suffering from the division long time ago, so let us avoid losing opportunities of convergence and union of ranks and word from now on. It is a call to shake hands and hearts and work together fruitfully”.

The Agreement

The agreement contained the following clauses: the constitution of Beirut inhabitants Waqfs Committee including the following Sheikhs and Sirs: Wajih Mayasii, Hassan Alaeddine, Akram El Zuhairi, Sami Abdul Khalek, Rafic Assaf, Fouad Younes, Freiz Ghabdan, the Mayor Akram El Oud, the Mayor Refaat El Zuhairi, Mounib Nassereddine, Ali El Oud, Sami El Chantouf, Rajeh Naim, Kamal El Akel, Hisham El Ghadban, Rifaat El Ghaoui, Jalal Sarrieddine, Nabil Rawda, Bassem Saab, Adel Najm, Amer Slit, Marwan Saab, Dr. Adel El Kadi, Jihad El Zuhairi, Fouad Zaytoun, Walid Abou Zaki, Fouad Ramez El Daroub, Ismat El Zuhairi, Samer El Oud and Marwan El Zuhairi.
The above-mentioned committee shall be charged with the supervision and management of the Council’s parcel, as well as the halls, shrines and sites. It shall strive for its interest and maintenance and preserve it carefully, with the right of cashing its revenues, leasing its facilities, spending on its needs at first and be at the service of the Druze Unitarian Community sons at a second place. This right shall remain in this parcel a final and exclusive right for the sons of the Druze Unitarian Community, and it shall be irrevocable for any reason whatsoever.
The mentioned committee shall be entitled to a rate of 25% of the benefit resulting from the investment of the parcel that the Confessional Council intends to develop. It has the right to cash a rate of 50% of the revenues resulting from the investment of commercial establishments until the start of the investment process. This rate mentioned in the third clause shall be applied. The Confessional Council shall be charged with covering the deficit of the annual balance sheet necessary to the Committee of Beirut inhabitants Waqfs until the accomplishment of the investment development project.
It was also agreed that for a period of four years, the following Sheikhs and Sirs will be as follows: Akram El Zuhairi: Committee President, Ali El Oud: Vice-president, Rajeh Naim: secretary, Hassan Alaeddine: fund secretary, Kamal El Akel: accountant, Bassem Saab: consultant, Refaat El Ghaoui: consultant and Fouad Zaytoun: consultant.