14 August 2006

BEIRUT : Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed a "historic and strategic victory" after the ceasefire with Israel on Monday and vowed that his guerrillas would not be forced to disarm by "intimidation".

"We are before a strategic and historic victory for all Lebanon," he said in an address on Hezbollah's Al-Manar television channel, triggering shots into the air and fireworks from the Shiite group's supporters in Beirut and the eastern city of Baalbek.

His speech came after a UN-brokered deal took effect at 8 am (0500 GMT) on Monday, the 34th day of the devastating Israeli offensive against Lebanon launched after Hezbollah captured two of the Jewish state's soldiers in cross-border attacks on July 12.

Nasrallah said the issue of Hezbollah's disarmament - a UN demand - cannot be resolved "in haste... or by intimidation, pressure or provocation".

He said that even Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said that "the strongest army (Israel) could not disarm Hezbollah".

Nasrallah also said that as laid down in UN Security Council Resolution 1701 "we back the deployment of the Lebanese army" in southern Lebanon up to the border with Israel, which was previously under Hezbollah control.

"But can the Lebanese army - in its present state and capabilities - fight if war is imposed on Lebanon, and can a UN force defend Lebanon?" he asked.

"This is an issue which concerns the future of Lebanon, it should not be tackled lightly," Nasrallah said.

Resolution 1701, unanimously adopted on Friday, calls for a full cessation of hostilities, the deployment of Lebanese and UN forces in south Lebanon, a simultaneous Israeli troop withdrawal from the area, and Hezbollah's disarmament.

Nasrallah also vowed to begin paying money immediately to families living in 15,000 homes completely destroyed by Israeli bombardment.

"From tomorrow... we will pay compensation, a certain amount of money for every family to rent for one year, plus furniture for those whose houses were totally destroyed," he said.

"These number 15,000. Tomorrow morning we will start."

Nasrallah said his group would also help pay for those whose houses were damaged. - AFP/de