Beirut: Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, Friday accused Israel of preparing for a new war against his country, similar to the July 2006 conflict. "Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Imad Muganiyeh is a prelude to open war against Lebanon and part of new tactics by Israel of cutting off the heads of Hezbollah leaders," Nasrallah said. He was addressing a massive rally in Beirut's southern suburbs to commemorate the death of Muganiyeh, who was killed in a car bomb blast Feb 12 in Damascus. Nasrallah insisted that Muganiyeh's assassination was plotted by Israel, and he thanked Syria for carrying out a "thorough investigation."

Challenging the Western-backed ruling majority in Lebanon, her said: "If you are heroes and lions, you should pull the decision of war from the heart of (Israeli Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert and the Americans." "If you are counting on a new Israeli war that will end Hezbollah, we tell them we are ready to confront and defend and achieve a new victory against the enemy Israel," Nasrallah added

Nasrallah also assured countries like France, Saudi Arabia and Kuwaiti, which have called on their citizens to avoid travelling to Lebanon, that Hezbollah s only enemy was Israel. Jihad Muganiyeh, 18-year-old son of the slain Hezbollah leader, also delivered a speech, pledging, "The strugglers of my father and myself are ready to continue on his footsteps."

Source : IANS