BEIRUT, (SANA)-Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that what protects Lebanon from any Israeli threat is the existence of a deterring balance with this enemy, adding that the suitable defensive strategy in Lebanon is the existence of a strong army and a powerful resistance with a coordination between them .

"Following the victory of Lebanon in 2000 and dismissing the Israeli occupation from south Lebanon, the aim of the US and Israel became disarming the resistance, particularly the arms of Hizbollah," Nasrallah said in a speech at an Iftar banquet on Wednesday.

He pointed out to several bargaining offers to the resistance to disarm its weapon by the US and others.

"Similar bargaining offer was presented to Syria in 2004 before the issuance of No.1559 when one of the Arab rulers told President Bashar al-Assad that if you want to remain in Lebanon, you can do so, but the price will be disarming the weapon of Hizbollah and the Palestinians.. but President al-Assad rejected this offer because he considers the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine as part of a pan-Arab Security strategy."

Mazen Eyon