Nasrallah: We have over 20,000 missiles

VIDEO - Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday in his first public appearance since July 12 that his group still possesses over 20,000 missiles, assuring supporters that his guerillas are as strong as they were on the eve of a 34-day war with Israel. Hizbullah supporters in Beirut (Photo: AFP) Nasrallah drew loud applauds from the crowd and vowed that his group won't be disarmed: "We will rehabilitate the force and bases within a short period of time. In a number of days we succeeded in rehabilitating our military capabilities. The resistance today is stronger than it was on July 12. He who wants to weaken us is miscalculating. "We are stronger today than ever before. Second – the prisoners. Your prisoners will all return, Inshallah. I vowed on July 12, that even if the whole world comes, they won't be able to return the two soldiers but through indirect negotiations. The whole world arrived and the two soldiers remain here." He warned that his group "won't give up the ShebaA Farms and the Kfar Shuva hills." About the international peacekeeping force he quoted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's remarks that German troops will be sent to Lebanon to protect Israel. "You can close the sea, the air, but this won't weaken our will … We fought for 34 days and we were prepared for a long war. What we sacrificed in the war was a small portion of our capability," he said. Israel: Nasrallah spitting in face of UN "We welcomed you and I do so again. Your mission is to assist the Lebanese army and not to spy on Hizbullah or to disarm it. That's what Secretary General Kofi Annan said. Until now, I haven't heard a single country that sent troops that it did so to protect Lebanon. They are ashamed in us and say they came to protect Israel," Nasrallah said. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Hizbullah is spitting in the face of the international community by refusing to disarm. "Nasrallah is challenging not only the government of Lebanon, but the entire international community," said Mark Regev. "The international community can't afford to have this Iranian-funded extremist spit in the face of the organized community of nations." Belittling the IDF He opened his speech by belittling the Israel Defense Forces: "Can a human mind explain that a few thousand of your sons stood for 32 days in the face of the strongest air force in the Middle East and in the face of 40 thousand officers and soldiers … in the face of the strongest tank in the world and the strongest army in the world. They turned soldiers of four brigades into scared mice." Waving to the crowd (Photo: AP) "Arab armies and peoples are not only capable of liberating Gaza … but also to return Palestine from the sea to the river. Your resistance shook Israel's image. It suffices to see what is happening in occupied Palestine: The general's war. Yedioth Ahronoth published a poll in which Olmert received seven percent support and the defense minister received one percent. That's Israel that was defeated on the military and the intelligence level." Group won't disarm Nasrallah also addressed criticism at home for his group's cross-border attack on July 12 to kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and calls by Lebanese politicians on the group to disarm. "I say to the same people who are preoccupied with this issue – don't speak about the results of the war, let's speak about its reasons. The resistance is a reaction to the occupation, prisoners, water thieving, and harming Lebanon's sovereignty. Solve these problems first. We are not saying that our weapons will remain forever, which is illogical." "We didn't fight 25 years for Israel to continue stealing our land and harm us," he said. In a direct reference to the anti-Syrian opposition he said: "Those betting on others are making a losing bet. Those relying on Hizbullah giving up its arms through (Foreign Minister Tzipi) Livni and (Defense Minister Amir) Peretz and (former Defense Minister) Moshe Arens – You know them, No? All we want – they say. They say that no army in the world is capable of disarming an organization like ours." "Some said 'if Mr. Nasrallah gives up his arms he is a traitor.' I assure you: I won't end my life in treason but in martyrdom. We don't want to keep our arms forever but as we did over the last 25 years these arms won't be directed towards the interior. These are not Shiite arms, but arms for all the Lebanese. These are arms dedicated to protecting Lebanon and its independence," he said. "We are entering a new era – a new decade in which our will has been imposed on the enemy. Until when will you continue to be silent over what is happening in Palestine? When will you send your armies?," he asked Arab leaders. 'My life is in danger' He said Israel could try to assassinate him during his speech: "You've amazed the world once again – you are a great and courageous people. For some days now, some have opened a psychological war against the rally, saying it will be bombed. You are proving today that you are stronger than anything. I stand with you as danger hovers over you and me." "Is what happened in Lebanon a victory or defeat?" he asked and answered, "We, Palestine, the whole Arab nation and all the weak won. Our victory is not just a victory for the party, not for an ethnic group or a party but for the true Lebanon and for the true Lebanese people. No party in the world has ever won a victory of this kind. It is an unimaginable victory. The coming weeks will prove that. Your resistance weakened all aspirations and dealt a blow to the 'new Middle East plan' of (US Secretary of State Condoleezza) Rice. Your resistance put to shame American policy which boasts about human rights," he said. He ridiculed a peace initiative by Arab leaders saying: "Arab foreign ministers presented a peace initiative at the United Nations. How can you search for a solution when you say you are not ready to fight for Lebanon, for Gaza, for the West Bank and even Jerusalem? How can you find a logical solution when you say every day that you are not ready to use petrol as a weapon?" He set an ultimatum for the Lebanese government, urging it to take action against Israeli violations in the south of the country: "Our army was sent to the south by the government to defend the homeland. At the moment, the homeland's sovereignty is being violated, citizens are being kidnapped and there is no response … but we won't remain silent for a long time. If the government doesn't take action to defend the homeland, the Lebanese people will do so." Different delegation arrived at the rally from across the Arab world and the political movements in Lebanon. Hizbullah sent invitations to ministers in the Lebanese government, but refrained from sending a similar invitation to their political rival, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Ali Waked contributed to the report

Nasrallah: We have over 20,000 missiles

(VIDEO) Hizbullah leader says his group possesses more than 20,000 missiles despite Israel's military offensive; lauds his guerillas for turning IDF soldiers into 'scared mice'