Hizbullah forms new military group to fight Israel

Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah on Monday announced the formation of a new Lebanese military grouping to join the fight against Israeli occupation forces in south Lebanon.

Nasrallah, who made the announcement at a press conference in Beirut, said the "Brigades of Resistance to Israeli Occupation" would provide a venue for any Lebanese wishing to participate in the resistance, regardless of their religion or political affiliations.

"The aim of this organization is to give the opportunity for any Lebanese who wishes to participate in the resistance, to fight through this framework, irrespective of their religion, sect, beliefs or political affiliations," he said.

Nasrallah has said in recent weeks that he was searching for a formula that would allow Lebanese from all political sects to join in the fight against Israel.

Lebanon has 18 different religious sects. The Shiites form the majority of the population, particularly in south Lebanon, where Hizbullah guerrillas are leading the fight against Israeli troops. Hizbullah guerrillas are all from the Shiite faith.

"We are not founding a new political party. We are looking for a framework that would enable Lebanon's youth to participate in the liberation of their country," Nasrallah said.

He said the organization would be financed and trained by Hizbullah, but shunned a question asking if that meant the funds would come from Iran. Hizbullah fighters would initially command members of the new organization.

He added that a string of successful resistance operations, rising Israeli losses in Lebanon and an impasse in the Middle East process were what prompted him to choose this particular time to announce the initiative.

Nasrallah said the conditions for joining the new group were for the person to prove "mentally and physically able" to carry out military operations against Israeli troops and for him to be "free of all suspicions" regarding his contacts with Israel.

Nasrallah gave three cellular phone numbers for volunteers wishing to join in.

While Hizbullah announced its new recruitment policy allowing every citizen to join the Resistance, Israel bombarded the areas of Wadi Sluki, Majdelzun and Kabrikha with 120 mm and 155 mm shells. No casualties were reported.