"Zionists will disappear", Ahmadinejad Tells Lebanon Rally

In an aggressive speech a few miles from Lebanon-Israel border on Thursday, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed that "occupied Palestine will be liberated" and the "Zionists will disappear".

Ahmadinejad visited this border region in southern Lebanon, which was a scene of intense fighting between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in 2006, on the second day of his Lebanon visit.

Tehran had made generous payments for rebuilding the Lebanese towns and communities hit hard by the conflict. Ahmadinejad used this visit to the border town to express his support for the war against Israel.

Thousands of people gathered to greet the Iranian president- waiving flags of Hezbollah and Iran- in Bint Jbeil stadium, where he stated that local residents had given "the taste of bitter defeat" to Israel.

"You proved that your resistance, your patience, your steadfastness, were stronger than all the tanks and warplanes of the enemy", the crowd was told by Ahmadinejad.

He further said, "The entire world should know that the Zionists will disappear", as a couple of Israeli military helicopters were seen flying along the border. "Today the Zionist occupiers have no choice but to surrender to reality and return to their homes and countries of origin”.

"Rest assured that occupied Palestine will be liberated from the filth of the occupation by the power of the resistance and through the faith of the resistance", said the Iranian president, drawing a huge round of applause from the crowd.