Hizbullah vows readiness to retaliate Israeli aggressions

The deputy secretary general of the Hizbullah Party, Sheikh Naeem Qassem, has asserted that the Lebanese resistance is "always ready to retaliate for the Israeli attacks and will do so in a manner that defends the Lebanese civilians and the infrastructure."

In a speech he delivered on Wednesday during a celebration held in the "Harik" quarter in the southern district of Beirut, Sheikh Qassem indicated that the recent Israeli aggression was intended at achieving four goals, including improving the morale of the Israeli army, morale which has been devastated by the successes of the Lebanese resistance.

Sheikh Qassem said the other three goals are to make use of the vacuum created between the outgoing Israeli government and the coming Israeli government of Ehud Barak, to create a rift between the Lebanese resistance and the Lebanese government, and to amend the April understanding provisions.

The Hizbullah deputy secretary general stressed that Israel has failed in realizing these goals. He emphasized that the stand of the Lebanese government, people and the resistance is firm and unified, noting that Lebanese President Emile Lahoud has expressed such a unity of stand powerfully.

He stressed total refusal for amending or changing the April Understanding.