BBC News Jan. 20, 2007
 
Hezbollah head Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah has welcomed the resignation of Israeli army chief Lt-Gen Dan Halutz in the wake of the two sides` summer conflict.
Sheikh Nasrallah told his movement`s al-Manar TV in Lebanon: "Any of them that don`t resign will be forced out."

Gen Halutz said he was taking responsibility for the failures of the Israeli military campaign.

Hezbollah`s capture of two Israeli soldiers in July, and killing of eight others, sparked 34 days of fighting.

A UN-brokered truce ended the conflict, in which more than 1,200 people died.

`Fresh action`

In a three-hour interview broadcast live, Sheikh Nasrallah told al-Manar he had been "happy" when he heard of Gen Halutz` resignation.

 It`s the first war that Israel has lost and in which it`s failed to achieve its objectives
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah 

He said the move showed that Israel had been plunged into a "crisis of leadership".
"Since the end of the war we had been expecting Halutz to resign and [Defence Minister Amir] Peretz and [Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert to follow him," Sheikh Nasrallah added.

"It`s the first war that Israel has lost and in which it`s failed to achieve its objectives."

On Lebanon`s internal political crisis, Sheikh Nasrallah said Hezbollah and other opposition groups, who have been campaigning for the removal of the pro-Western government of Fouad Siniora, would announce a new phase of action in the coming days.

The BBC Jim Muir in Beirut says there is speculation this may include a general strike.

The opposition, with Hezbollah at the forefront, has been carrying out daily protests against Mr Fouad Siniora.

It is demanding the formation of a new administration in which its allies have the power of veto.

Sheikh Nasrallah`s address comes the week before international donors discuss whether to approve billions of dollars in aid for Lebanon.

Our correspondent says those donors will be looking to Lebanon`s politicians from all parties for reassurance that political tensions will not derail their plans for Lebanon`s reconstruction.