Nasrallah stresses commitment to resistance and calls for dialogue
Lebanon, Politics, 2/17/2006

Secretary General of Hizbollah has stressed commitment to the resistance's weapons for liberating every inch of the occupied Lebanese land, releasing prisoners and detainees, dismissing the occupation and preserving the state sovereignty.

Hizbullah's weapons will be used to defend Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday at a gathering held in the UNESCO Palace to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Sheikh Ragheb Harb and Hizbullah chief Abbas Mousawi.

"Our resistance will go on until a clear strategy to defend Lebanon is formulated," he said.

The Hizbullah leader thanked Syria and Iran for supporting the resistance. Party weapons are purchased to "confront the Zionists who want to harm our nation," he indicated.

Nasrallah warned that some of the speeches made at Tuesday's rally to mark the first anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri's assassination could lead to a civil war.

He said that "the language used by some speakers aimed at escalating the situation. When you escalate your stances or change them isn't it upon George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice demands?"

Nasrallah called for a dialogue among all Lebanese as the only solution to solve internal division.

"Hizbollah now is not in an alliance, but if some insisted to join Lebanon to international alliances and if we had to choose between collaborating with Syria and Iran or Israel and the United States, we would select the first option," Nasrallah said.

He added that the memorandum of understanding with Michel Aoun demands that a defense strategy to protect Lebanon should be set forward by the Lebanese.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, for his part, said that the national resistance has played and still a pivotal role in the face of challenges the country is encountering.

"Lebanese resistance has confronted the Israeli plots which targeted Lebanon and it succeeded in defeating the Israeli occupation in the south," former Justice Minister Charles Rizk read on behalf of President Lahoud.

Several Lebanese MPs and officials delivered speeches stressing that the resistance was not for a particular party or a sect, but it was necessary to preserve Lebanon, its sovereignty and protection. They said that there is no place for the Israeli foe in deciding the country's present and future.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese president Lahoud not resigning   (2/16/2006)
  Lebanese personalities condemn provocation against Syria   (2/16/2006)
  Lebanese crowds commemorate Hariri assassination anniversary   (2/15/2006)
  Daily Star: Saad Hariri: Syria sending militants to Lebanon   (2/14/2006)
  Saad al-Hariri urges Lebanese to celebrate Feb 14 assassination anniversary   (2/13/2006)
  Hizbullah: Lebanese government should not describe us as a militia   (1/25/2006)
  Lebanese government crisis continues   (12/31/2005)

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