Nasrallah: Israel wants cease-fire

BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 29 (UPI) -- Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah claimed in a speech Saturday evening that Israel has been hiding its true losses from fighting in Lebanon.

Israel "can hide military losses, but not the loss of Israelis' belief in their 'legendary' army, in their leadership," Nasrallah said.

The speech was broadcast on Al Manar, the Hezbollah television station, the Jerusalem Post reported. It followed Israel's announcement of withdrawal from the village of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, which has been the site of difficult fighting for several days.

Nasrallah called Israel "a tool of the United States," arguing that U.S. officials encouraged the Israeli assault on Lebanon and were discouraging a cease-fire.

"The Israelis are ready to halt aggression because they are afraid of the unknown," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Saturday in an effort to speed the end of the Lebanon crisis.