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Last update - 15:10 02/08/2008
Top Hezbollah commander: We're stronger, ready for war
By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Tags: Hezbollah, Lebanon, Terrorism 

A senior Hezbollah commander told the U.K. Telegraph on Friday that the Lebanon-based militia is now stronger than before, and that though it does not seek war with Israel, it is prepared for a military confrontation.

Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, who commands Hezbollah's forces on Lebanon's border with Israel, was quoted as saying "the resistance is now stronger than before and this keeps the option of war awake."

"If we were weak, Israel would not hesitate to start another war," Kaouk added. "We are stronger than before and when Hezbollah is strong, our strength stops Israel from starting a new war."
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Kaouk also said that Hezbollah is proud of its relationship with Syria and Iran, but declined to comment on whether the two countries supply Hezbollah's arms.

Meanwhile, Lebanese political factions reached a compromise on Hezbollah's arsenal, the country's information minister said Friday, releasing a vaguely worded draft statement that implies the militant group can keep its weapons.

The position paper must now be approved by Parliament, whose vote will decide whether to accept a unity government that includes Hezbollah. The new cabinet was formed after Hezbollah gunmen routed armed supporters of the previous pro-Western administration earlier this year.

Hezbollah's arms have long been a point of dispute, with many legislators in the Western-backed majority in Parliament attempting to disarm the group. Hezbollah rejects the demand, and it will hold veto power in the new government.

The draft statement announced by Information Minister Tarek Mitri is deliberately vague, saying only that the committee agreed on the right of Lebanon's people, the army and the resistance to liberate all its territories.

Resistance is Lebanon's jargon for Hezbollah, which is admired by many in Lebanon for its stand against Israel. All territories alludes to Lebanon's territorial claim on the Shaba Farms area that Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.

After Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, an order was issued stipulating the dissolution of all militias. Hezbollah fighters, however, were allowed to keep their weapons because they were considered a resistance group fighting Israeli troops that occupied part of southern Lebanon until 2000.

Many officials in the pro-Western bloc had argued that statement should not include the word resistance and that it should make liberating the occupied lands solely the national army's responsibility. But Hezbollah and its allies strongly opposed those demands.

Lebanon has been rife with tensions as the pro-Western Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has struggled to form the national unity government in which Hezbollah will have veto power in all government decisions.

The Hezbollah-led opposition won the concession in May as part of an Arab-brokered deal to end months of political stalemate that had escalated into violence and raised fears Lebanon's sectarian factions could plunge into a new civil war.

Before the agreement, 81 people died and more than 200 were wounded as Hezbollah militants and their allies battled supporters of Siniora's government in Beirut and other cities. Sectarian violence since the deal has killed 29 people.


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      1.   Lebanon officially a state sponsor of Terror 22:30  |  Adam in TX 01/08/08
      2.   Another Great Result of The IDF`s Debacle 22:36  |  Tod Zuckerman 01/08/08
      3.   joke - national unity government 22:40  |  mark hammond 01/08/08
      4.   Israel cannow attack Lebanese Army / Installations 22:44  |  Liliane 01/08/08
      5.   Well, at least we know who is in charge... 22:46  |  Ian W. 01/08/08
      6.   Then Leb Gvment must bear responsibility 22:55  |  leo 01/08/08
      7.   good luck w/avoiding to comply w/USCR 1701 & letting Hezbollah - 23:03  |  ivo 01/08/08
      8.   And that as they say, is that... 23:27  |  BBSNews 01/08/08
      9.   Lebanon 23:35  |  Philippe 01/08/08
      10.   attack Leb now 23:40  |  vik 01/08/08
      11.   Very good 23:40  |  Pat 01/08/08
      12.   Backing Hezboolah Islamo Fashists 23:58  |  Michael 01/08/08
      13.   Great News! Allah Be Praised 00:02  |  Jabotinsky 02/08/08
      14.   Leb. Gov`t decree satisfies ALL requirements of 1701 00:06  |  Pablo B 02/08/08
      15.   NASRALLAH IS DESPERATE TO FIGHT NEXT ROUND BEFORE OLMERT LEAVES 00:06  |  Freethinker 02/08/08
      16.   it seems most of u don`t know that 00:23  |  Lebanese 02/08/08
      17.   To Adam Israel is the only terrorist entity in the ME 00:24  |  gus 02/08/08
      18.   attack attack attack... 00:25  |  OufOuf 02/08/08
      19.   Israel on notice...more ahead.. 00:26  |  Edithann, USA 02/08/08
      20.   Pat Israel already destroyed the infrastructure 00:28  |  gus 02/08/08
      21.   The "lebanese" government? 00:28  |  Arie 02/08/08
      22.   The tail wags the dog 00:29  |  McQueen 02/08/08
      23.   Too bad for Lebanon 00:30  |  Joe Frazier 02/08/08
      24.   #8 you claim to be "news" but you seem to be simple propaganda 00:31  |  McQueen 02/08/08
      25.   Shebaa Farms 00:33  |  James 02/08/08
      26.   This changes things entirely 00:34  |  Free Gilad Shalit 02/08/08
      27.   Lebanon signed it`s own death sentence 00:35  |  Joey 02/08/08
      28.   Uh Oh, Which Is It? 00:40  |  Jeff Northridge 02/08/08
      29.   small brave lebanon! 00:44  |  northern neighbor 02/08/08
      30.   # Mark Hammond 00:45  |  Milo 02/08/08
      31.   My message to Lebanon : Bring it on!!! 00:47  |  dave 02/08/08
      32.   Tod Z,one of the main culprits,Gen.Ganz has escaped to USA 00:48  |  Absolute Sweden 02/08/08
      33.   The U.S. gives Lebanon weapons 00:53  |  Wendy 02/08/08
      34.   # Ian W. 00:53  |  Milo 02/08/08
      35.   Israel vs Lebanon 00:54  |  Brod 02/08/08
      36.   Zionism = Racism = Aparheid = Terrorism! 00:58  |  Samy 02/08/08
      37.   Adam in TX - Why wipe out Lebanon?? 01:06  |  voice or reason 02/08/08
      38.   if israel attack lebanon, Iran will attack Israel 01:13  |  peace 02/08/08
      39.   Another `only in Israel` statement 01:15  |  Colin Wright 02/08/08
      40.   re Adam in Tx #1 01:18  |  Colin Wright 02/08/08
      41.   No more nonsense about "innocent" lebanese civilians 01:30  |  Voice of Reason 02/08/08
      42.   #5 Well, Ian, simple solution. 01:30  |  ballistic 02/08/08
      43.   Wow! 01:36  |  Jasper 02/08/08
      44.   Someone help Lebanon 01:38  |  JD 02/08/08
      45.   and Israel will know exactly how to respond 01:39  |  judith 02/08/08
      46.   State-Sponsred Terrorism! 01:44  |  Samy 02/08/08
      47.   Security Council Resolution 1702 01:47  |  KT 02/08/08
      48.   "Ready for what.? War...with whom...Israel.? 01:49  |  Stephen. 02/08/08
      49.   New threat is cooking 01:55  |  Michael 02/08/08
      50.   #1+12: Almost Right.... 01:58  |  LawyerII 02/08/08
      51.   #4 Liliane 01:58  |  Boycott 02/08/08
      52.   #6 leo 02:00  |  Boycott 02/08/08
      53.   #10 vik 02:07  |  Boycott 02/08/08
      54.   #8...Cynicism I hope... 02:11  |  Lawyer II 02/08/08
      55.   #10 Vik, are you somehow related to that Channey? 02:13  |  John 02/08/08
      56.   Nasrallahstan is coming 02:14  |  Tarzan 02/08/08
      57.   Crying on TV. 02:34  |  Efroim 02/08/08
      58.   new agreement in lebanon 02:34  |  ali 02/08/08
      59.   Lebanon is Kaput 02:35  |  Dwido 02/08/08
      60.   #13 voice of reason=voice of lies 02:37  |  McQueen 02/08/08
      61.   Not a REAL threat to Israel 02:41  |  US CITIZEN 02/08/08
      62.   Lebanon`s decision is clear. Israel will answer. 02:51  |  Moishe Macher 02/08/08
      63.   #1 Adam 02:54  |  maoriboy 02/08/08
      64.   The HUGE BETRAYAL of Israel & Free World Via UN Resolution 1701 03:05  |  Linda Rivera 02/08/08
      65.   Hezbollahnan 03:07  |  Ron 02/08/08
      66.   #29 peace - Iran won`t attack 03:11  |  * BEN JABO 02/08/08
      67.   #54 maori boy - Democracy in action 03:14  |  * BEN JABO 02/08/08
      68.   Hezbollah Is Army of Lebanese Cowards 03:14  |  Laguna Geno 02/08/08
      69.   #37 Samy - Hezbollah made the threats 03:16  |  * BEN JABO 02/08/08
      70.   And Livni, is responsible for the current situation 03:20  |&nbs