Hezbollah chief vows never to recognise Israel

Beirut: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Friday that the Lebanese group would never recognise Israel's right to exist, rejecting US conditions for dialogue with the group it considers a terrorist organisation.

During celebrations to recognise the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), he said, "To those who impose conditions on us, we say: We will never recognise Israel."

The White House said on Tuesday that both Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas and Hezbollah must stop violence and recognise Israel before they can expect even low-level US engagement.

Nasrallah said, "We reject the American conditions ... Today, tomorrow and after 1,000 years and even until the end of time, as long as Hezbollah exists, it will never recognise Israel."

Nasrallah also praised recent moves to ease Arab differences, with Saudi Arabia and Egypt seeking to improve ties with Syria, which has supported Hezbollah.

"All Arab reconciliation reinforces us," he said.