[Iran Press TV Latest] Hezbollah has warned its rivals that their victory in the elections does not legitimize the disarmament of the resistance movement. "The majority must commit not to question our role as a resistance party, the legitimacy of our weapons arsenal and the fact that Israel is an enemy state," AFP quoted Hezbollah official Mohamed Raad as saying on Monday.Lebanon's ruling pro-Western coalition declared victory with 71 seats after an election face-off with the Hezbollah-led bloc, which has won 57 seats in the 128-seat house.
The issue of whether Hezbollah should remain armed has long been high on the agenda of political debates sought by the pro-Western coalition in Lebanon.
The Hezbollah movement argues that its arms help deter possible Israeli attacks on the country and has agreed to discuss the issue with critics within the framework of a national unity government.
Israel sought to bring Hezbollah military power to an end during the 33-day war against Lebanon in the summer of 2006 but was unsuccessful.
Israeli Transport Minister Yisrael Katz was among the top officials to comment on the issue after the elections in Lebanon. He told public radio that Hezbollah should be disarmed after "the defeat of its alliance in Lebanon's election... We must now move to disarm Hezbollah in accordance with agreements made in the past".
On the issue, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, "The victory of the moderate camp in Lebanon is a positive sign, but we ought to see how the new government conducts itself, and in accordance with this we will decide what our position will be."