On Saturday, Lebanon celebrates the second anniversary of the liberation of the south, which Israel occupied for 22 years. Since the withdrawal on May 24, 2000, the UN estimates the number of inhabitants has increased from 110,000 to 140,000, much less than expected.
Meanwhile, in a special speech for this occasion, Hizbullah Secretary-General Hasan Nasrallah has said that Palestinian suicide operations are integral to the intifadah which, he said, must continue. Nasrallah also condemned various fatwas (religious edicts) ruling against suicide operations for causing confusion, adding that such rulings were by figures working for "the rulers".
He denied US reports that Hizbullah had held meetings with Al-Qaeda figures and said that he knew the US was intending to wage war with Lebanon, Iran and Syria, and that Hizbullah was prepared.
“Today, what threat could possibly be directed against us? The maximum the Americans could do to us - what is it? … What is the maximum they could do to us? Kill me? Kill you? If remaining alive would be in humiliation and disgrace, and if what is required for us to remain alive is to kneel at the feet of Condoleezza Rice, Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and that stupid and crazy person - George Bush - then certainly we prefer to die a thousand times than lead such a life. This is the maximum they could do to us,” Nasrallah told his audience. (Albawaba.com)
