Hezbollah’s leader vowed that the terrorist group will keep its weapons until a strong Lebanese army capable of defending the country against Israeli attacks is established. On Sunday, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah apparently was responding to repeated calls by the country’s anti-Syrian parliamentary majority for his group to disarm in line with a United Nations resolution that ended last summer’s Israel-Hezbollah war.Speaking at a ceremony in south Beirut marking the graduation of more than 1,700 Hezbollah supporters from Lebanese universities, Nasrallah rejected claims that Hezbollah was acting like “a state within a state.””The only solution is that there must be a strong state and a strong army capable of confronting any Israeli aggression on Lebanon,” he said.Nasrallah also said a dialogue among feuding Lebanese leaders has failed to resolve the country’s political crisis. He proposed a public referendum or early parliamentary elections as a way out of the four-month stalemate.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
