Hizbullah chief on Saturday rejected a UN resolution demanding for his movement military wing to be dismantled, saying the world body's call served Israeli interests.
In addition, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah defended the presence of Syrian troops in Lebanon, which has attracted in recent weeks criticism from the United States and France.
"We don't want a withdrawal of Syrian forces at this time," Nasrallah told a Hizbullah rally, adding the presence of Syrian soldiers had helped Lebanon consolidate its security.
Nasrallah on Saturday rejected the UN resolution, saying it aimed to weaken Lebanon by disarming Hizbullah.
"The disarmament of militias means (disarming) the resistance," he said. "All the world knows that the disarmament of the resistance (Hezbollah) is an Israeli demand. Today, the Israeli demands are contained in a Security Council resolution."
Nasrallah also accused the Security Council of using Lebanon's presidential issue as pretext, linking it to American and Israeli strategies following the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
