Hezbollah leader celebrates victory

Thousands of Hezbollah supporters took part in the rally

The Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, has been greeted by tens of thousands of supporters during a victory rally to celebrate the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon.

He disputed land and prisoners still held by Israel should be returned to Lebanon - but made no reference to achieving it through combat.

I promise you that every prisoner will soon be returned and the farms of Shebaa will return to Lebanon

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah

His speech followed a statement from Hezbollah - which fought to drive the Israeli army out of Lebanon - that its fighters will soon pull out of southern Lebanon, now that the Israelis have withdrawn.

Earlier, United Nations peacekeepers equipped with armoured cars began patrolling the former Israeli-controlled zone in Lebanon.

The UN special envoy, Terje Larsen, said they would be deployed in permanent positions up to the Israeli border after the organisation had verified full Israeli withdrawal.

Sheikh Nasrallah called for prisoners held by Israel to be returned

The Lebanese Government has also deployed about 600 armed police officers in the newly-evacuated area.

But Beirut refused to send in the army saying it prefers to wait for official confirmation of Israel's pullout.

Rally

In the victory rally at Bint Jbeil, near the border with Israel, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah prayed to God "that the victory be fulfilled with the liberation of the whole territory and the release of all prisoners."

He was referring to an area known as the farms of Shebaa on Lebanon's borders with Syria but occupied by Israel since 1967.

"I promise you that every prisoner will soon be returned and the farms of Shebaa will return to Lebanon," he told the crowd.

Special envoy Terje Larsen said UN troops would be deployed in permanent positions

Sheikh Nasrallah said Israel had no alternative, saying that Hezbollah "considers that all occupied Lebanese territory must be restored."

But the Shia Muslim leader did not speak about the consequences if Israel refrained.

The Hezbollah leader has also called for a severe punishment of those who "collaborated" with Israel during its years of occupation.

Meanwhile, judicial sources in Lebanon said about 400 members of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) militia who surrendered to the Lebanese authorities after Israel's withdrawal have been referred to a military court on charges of collaboration with Israel.

A total of 1,500 members of the militia have given themselves up to the authorities or to Hezbollah.

Collaboration can carry the death sentence in Lebanon.

Security

Sheikh Nasrallah added at the rally that Hezbollah was not a substitute for the state in southern Lebanon.

Girl holds the Lebanese flag at the border with Israel

"The state is the one responsible. We are absolutely not responsible for the security in this area," he said.

UN redeployment

Mr Roed-Larsen said UN officials were meanwhile confirming that the border fence had been pulled back to its correct position.

Once this had been done, the 4,500 UN troops would be redeployed to permanent positions along the border, he said.

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara earlier welcomed Israeli leader Ehud Barak's call to "extend a hand for peace," but warned that the Arabs had had enough of Israel's muscle-flexing.

Israel is disappointed because it hoped to provoke sectarian troubles in south Lebanon

Syrian FM Farouq al-Shara

"If there was anything wrong, it would come from the Israel side. It would only take place because the Israelis want to extend their muscles," Mr Shara said after meeting European Union officials in Lisbon.

Israel has warned it will hold Damascus and Beirut responsible for any attacks by guerrillas who have taken control of the area vacated by Israel forces.