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Hezbollah head at 'victory' rally Hezbollah head praises 'victory'
(about 2 hours later)
Hundreds of thousands of people have massed in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, to celebrate what Hezbollah militants call their victory over Israel. The Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, has spoken to vast crowds in Beirut, hailing the militant group's self-proclaimed "victory" over Israel.
The group's leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, appeared at the rally - his first public appearance since July. He said Hezbollah had won a historic and strategic military victory.
People packed into the city's southern suburbs, which were heavily bombed during the conflict, waving yellow and green flags and chanting slogans. In his first public appearance since the recent conflict, Sheikh Nasrallah said Hezbollah still had 20,000 rockets and would never be disarmed by force.
Hezbollah has called the outcome of the five-week conflict a "divine victory". Hundreds of thousands crowded into southern Beirut, heavily bombed during the conflict, to hear his speech.
Sheikh Nasrallah thanked the crowd for making the journey to the rally. Waving flags in the yellow and green of Hezbollah, crowds travelled from all over Lebanon to a square in the city's southern suburbs.
"Our presence here is not without danger," he told the crowds, in reference to Israel considering him a target during the conflict. Security was tight in the streets around the square.
Pullout delayed The building of a just, strong and able state starts first with a serious national unity government Sheikh Hassan NasrallahHezbollah leader href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5262484.stm" class="">Quick guide: Hezbollah
Thanking the crowd for making the journey to the rally, he praised their courage and said Hezbollah was now stronger than it was before fighting began on 12 July.
"There is no army in the world that can force us to drop our weapons from our hands, from our grip," he said.
Under the terms of the UN-brokered cease-fire that ended the fighting on 14 August, Hezbollah is expected to disarm.
But Sheikh Nasrallah said the group would only disarm when the Lebanese government was capable of protecting the country.
CONFLICT FACTS Fighting began on 12 JulyEnded 14 AugustIsraeli dead: 116 soldiers, 43 civiliansLebanese civilian dead: >1,000Hezbollah dead: unknown He repeated a Hezbollah call for a new government to replace the administration of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
"The building of a just, strong and able state starts first with a serious national unity government," Sheikh Nasrallah said.
The strength of Hezbollah had dealt a severe blow to US plans for a new Middle East peace process, he told the crowds.
The BBC's Crispin Thorold, in southern Beirut, said Sheikh Nasrallah spoke for more than an hour, ands guns were fired into the air as he left.
Withdrawal delayed
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah ended on 14 August with a ceasefire that has largely held.Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah ended on 14 August with a ceasefire that has largely held.
CONFLICT FACTS Fighting began on 12 JulyEnded 14 AugustIsraeli dead: 116 soldiers, 43 civiliansLebanese civilian dead: >1,000Hezbollah dead: unknown href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5262484.stm" class="">Quick guide: Hezbollah Israel lost 116 soldiers in the fighting, while 43 civilians were killed in Hezbollah rocket attacks. Most of the crowds waved yellow Hezbollah flagsIsrael lost 116 soldiers in the fighting, while 43 civilians were killed in Hezbollah rocket attacks.
More than 1,000 Lebanese civilians and an unknown number of Hezbollah fighters were killed in the conflict.More than 1,000 Lebanese civilians and an unknown number of Hezbollah fighters were killed in the conflict.
Israel failed to achieve its stated war aims of driving Hezbollah fighters from the border, stopping rocket attacks and freeing two of its soldiers captured by Hezbollah in a cross-border raid.Israel failed to achieve its stated war aims of driving Hezbollah fighters from the border, stopping rocket attacks and freeing two of its soldiers captured by Hezbollah in a cross-border raid.
The Beirut rally had been expected to coincide with the final pullout of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, but the Israeli military said on Friday that some troops would remain in Lebanon over the Jewish New Year holiday this weekend. The Beirut rally had been expected to coincide with the final withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, but the Israeli military said on Friday that some troops would remain in Lebanon over the Jewish New Year holiday this weekend.
High security
Security in the streets around the rally point was intense, the BBC's Crispin Thorold in Beirut says, with Hezbollah monitoring everyone entering the area and all rooftops manned.
It had been unclear whether Sheikh Nasrallah would attend what was being called a "victory festival". He had only been seen on television since the conflict started.
Hezbollah leaders say the group won a "divine victory" over Israel
A spokesman for Sheikh Nasrallah said he would make a "landmark historic speech" and outline plans for the group's future, the Associated Press reported.
Our correspondent said the rally was also intended to strengthen Hezbollah's political agenda in Lebanon.
All of the major politicians allied to Hezbollah were expected to attend.
The Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, said he had not been invited.
Since the cessation of hostilities Hezbollah has been organising reconstruction in its heartlands and paying compensation to the families whose homes were destroyed.
But it has also been calling for a government of national unity to replace the current one.