Nasrallah & Berri: Resistance and its weapons are a national choice and a legitimate right for the Lebanese people

Source: Daily Star, 25-9-2006
BEIRUT: Hizbullah`s secretary general, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and Speaker Nabih Berri said Saturday that the resistance and its weapons are a national choice and a legitimate right for the Lebanese people. In a statement following their afternoon meeting, the leaders emphasized "the importance of strengthening the national unity among the Lebanese as a main base to build a strong and capable state."
A Hizbullah statement referred to the discussion as an "exceptional meeting" to "discuss the various dangerous and important developments which the Lebanese arena witnessed and continues to witness."
Nasrallah had called in his speech on Friday`s celebration of the "Divine Victory" for building a strong and just state that can protect its citizens and sovereignty. He said the only way to do so "is through having a true national unity government."
The leaders agreed "on holding on to the resistance and its weapons as a national choice and a legitimate right until `Israel` completely withdraws from occupied Lebanese land, the release of detainees from the enemy`s prisons and a halt to continuous breaches to Lebanon`s sovereignty," their joint statement said.
During his Friday speech, Nasrallah said the resistance will not continue to hold its arms forever. He said that Hizbullah will give up its weapons when the "Israelis" fully withdraw from Lebanon, hand back the occupied Shibaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills, free Lebanese detainees and when a strong and just state is formed through a national unity government.
Nasrallah`s strongest ally, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, once again called Sunday for a new national unity government.
"The problem lies in a Cabinet which follows a certain party, and is looking for its own defense through alliances outside the country because it will not accept internal powers," Aoun said. "That is why this government is using the `Israeli` war on Lebanon as an excuse to attack the true patriotic people.
"There is no legitimate existence for the current government, because it is ruled by an imaginary majority ... which came into power through an unjust electoral law."
As for the ability of the current Lebanese government to protect Lebanon, Aoun said: "The government doesn`t have the necessary legitimacy to extend its authority all over Lebanon ... It cannot protect Lebanon or its sovereignty."