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Hezbollah rejects ceasefire proposals

They have accused foreign envoys of allowing Israel time to continue its military offensive to force Lebanon into submission.

Published on: Jul 18, 2006, 13:03:00 IST
None | By , Beirut
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Hezbollah has dismissed international ceasefire proposals as "Israeli conditions," accusing foreign envoys of allowing Israel time to continue its military offensive to force Lebanon into submission.

HT Image
HT Image

"The international envoys have conveyed Israeli conditions. These conditions are rejected," said Hezbollah legislator Hussein Haj Hassan.

"We accept what secures our country's interest and pride and dignity and not to submit to Israeli conditions," he said on Al-Jazeera television late on Monday.

He spoke after UN and European Union envoys as well as France's prime minister discussed with Lebanon's government ways to end the six-day-old ferocious fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah guerrillas.

Israel has demanded the guerrillas release two Israeli soldiers they captured and pull far back from the border as conditions for any cease-fire.

Hezbollah's Al-Manar television, in its prime news bulletin presentation, accused the envoys of coming to Lebanon for a "clear-cut objective to give more time for enemy aircraft to carry out more destruction and devastation so that someone can raise the banner of surrender".

Hezbollah said it wanted an unconditional cease-fire. Al-Manar pledged to continue firing rockets on Israel, warning: "This is the beginning.

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