Resistance vital for Lebanon, Berri says

MSAILEH, Lebanon, May 11 (UPI) -- Lebanese parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri said Hezbollah and the resistance movement would usher in an era of revitalization for his country.

"Resistance, liberation and development will be the choice of the Lebanese to transition toward a better country and a better life," Berri told supporters in southern Lebanon.

Berri added that supporting the Lebanese resistance movement was a necessary measure for the country as Israel continues to operate along the southern border with Lebanon, reports The Daily Star, a Lebanese newspaper.

"The choice of resistance is a vital national necessity as Israel continues to occupy a part of our land and to violate Lebanon's airspace, border and territorial waters," he said.

Berri was speaking in support of Hezbollah and Lebanese Resistance Detachments candidates for the June 7 parliamentary elections. He said the resistance slate supported the creation of a Senate in the Lebanese government, a quota allocating 20 percent of parliamentary seats to women and the end of the sectarian system in Beirut.

Regionally, the Lebanese speaker called for stronger bilateral ties with Arab nations, notably Syria, Iran and Turkey.

The March 8 coalition, which includes Hezbollah, is expected to secure the majority in the June elections over the pro-Western March 14 bloc.