During an interview with a Cuban TV Show on the seventh anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese president, Emile Lahhoud, stated that the Lebanon-based Hezbollah party should not disarm until peace is achieved between Israel and Lebanon.Lahhoud stated that the weapons of the party are the main source of power for Lebanon, and that Lebanon has the right to remain powerful until a comprehensive and just peace is reached between the two countries.
Referring to the 2006 summer war between Hezbollah and Israel, and the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, Lahhoud said that the Lebanese victory in 2000 and its victory in the 2006 war with Israel will be recorded in history books since it is a victory of a small nation which faced Israel and its supporters, especially the US weapons sent to Israel.
He also said that Israel admits that it lost the war with Lebanon and that its Winograd commission, assigned by the Israel government to probe the war, admitted that Israel and its leaders are accountable for this loss.
Lahhoud added that this victory was achieved as a result of the Lebanese unity, the unity of those who fought for their rights.
He did not rule out a further Israeli escalation against Lebanon or Syria, adding that Israel does not want peace.