The leader of "Hezbollah" Naim Qassem said today that the Lebanese Shiite movement rejects any timetable for disarmament as long as Israel continues to attack Lebanon, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
The statement was made at a time when the Lebanese government is holding a meeting dedicated to the issue of the state's monopoly on weapons.
Naim Qassem called on the Lebanese state to draw up plans to deal with the pressure it is under, and not "deprive the resistance ("Hezbollah") of its capacity and strength".
In addition, the leader of "Hezbollah" issued a direct threat to Israel, Reuters reported. He warned that if Israel again starts a large-scale war against Lebanon, rockets will fall on Israeli territory.
The Lebanese army and the Lebanese people will defend themselves if Israel launches a "large-scale aggression", Qassem stressed.
The Lebanese state has been under pressure from the United States to demand the disarmament of "Hezbollah", which recently went through a 14-month war with Israel and which emerged from the conflict seriously weakened, having lost many of its political leaders and military commanders.
Since the war between Israel and "Hezbollah" ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire, "Hezbollah" officials have said they will not discuss disarming the Shiite movement until Israel withdraws from five hills it controls in Lebanese territory and ends its almost daily airstrikes on Lebanon.
Israel accuses "Hezbollah" that it is trying to restore its military capabilities.
The demand to disarm "Hezbollah" is a political risk for the Lebanese government, DPA notes.