Syrian President Bashar Assad on Monday rebuffed U.S. pressure to cut ties with Hizbullah and expel Palestinian groups regarded as “terrorists” by Washington.
"Syria supports the Lebanese national resistance, including Hizbullah... in resisting Israeli occupation and liberating land - politically and in the media - because the brothers in the Lebanese resistance do not need military support from Syria," the Syrian leader told the Lebanese daily, al Liwa.
"As for the Palestinian groups... their work is limited to political and media activities, and their offices in Damascus provide political representation to the 400,000 Palestinians living in Syria who look to attain their rights and return to their land," al-Liwa quoted Assad as saying.
Regarding the Israeli threats against Syria, the president said that if Israel attacks Syria, his country would naturally defend itself, because “Syria has a legitimate right to defend itself in line with rules of the international legitimacy.” (Albawaba.com)
