Lebanese President Emile Lahoud
Photo: Reuters
Lebanese president: Hizbullah will not disarm
Emile Lahoud says terrorist organization should not disarm before peace achieved between Israel and Lebanon, says 'national resistance Lebanon's primary source of power'
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said Hizbullah will not disarm as long as there is a state of war between Lebanon and Israel, because the "national resistance's weapons are Lebanon's primary source of power."
Lahoud was interviewed Saturday on a Cuban television show covering the seventh anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Southern Lebanon. "We adhere to Lebanon's right to stay powerful until a comprehensive and just peace is achieved. When that happens, there will be no need for the resistance and its weapons" said Lahoud.
The Lebanese president referred to last summer's war between Israel and Hizbullah in the context of the 2000 withdrawal, saying "Lebanon's victory against Israel in 2000, as well as in the summer of 2006, will be written in the history books because it's a victory of a small nation that succeeded in overcoming Israel and its backers, in particular the weapons sent to Israel by the US."
Hizbullah re-arming
Roee Nahmias, AFP
Sheikh Naim Kassem tells al-Jazeera his organization completed prepping its men, infrastructure; Lebanese source says Hizbullah stronger than ever
Lahoud implied that the findings of the Winograd commission show that "Israel itself admits that they lost the war and is holding their leaders accountable for this loss."
The victory was achieved as the result of "the unity of Lebanon's sons who fight for their rights," he said.
When asked about the odds of another Israeli attack on Lebanon or Syria, he responded that "anything is possible with Israel, especially an attack on Lebanon or Syria. Israel doesn't want peace. It has indicated this to us in recent years."
