Israel's troops on border alert as Lebanese crisis talks delayed

The two-day consultations had been scheduled to start yesterday after Hezbollah and its allies quit the Western-backed government last week, forcing it to collapse.

The crisis stems from tensions over a UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The Shiite militant group walked out of the government when Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the dead man's son, refused to disown the tribunal. Many expect Hezbollah to be named in forthcoming indictments.

President Michel Suleiman said he delayed the talks to best serve the "national interest." It came after the leader of Hezbollah defended the decision to bring down Lebanon's Western-backed government, saying the Shiite militant group did so without resorting to violence and will not be intimidated by world reaction.

In his first comments since the government collapse on Wednesday, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah also said his bloc will not support Saad Hariri returning to his post as prime minister in talks on forming a new government.

"We carried out a constitutional, legal and democratic step to bring down the government. We did not use weapons," Mr Nasrallah said in a televised speech. "We are not scared of speeches, statements or anyone's threats in this world."

Eleven ministers allied to Hezbollah resigned from the Cabinet on Wednesday, enough to force the government to fall.

The crisis is the climax of long-simmering tensions over the UN tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Mr Hariri's father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The court is expected to indict members of Hezbollah, which could re-ignite hostilities between Lebanon's rival Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Rafik Hariri was a Sunni.

Hezbollah, which is supported by Syria and Iran, is Lebanon's most powerful military force, with an arsenal that far outweighs that of the national army.

Saad Hariri had refused Hezbollah's demands to cease cooperation with the court, prompting Wednesday's walkout.

Mr Nasrallah's speech was seen as important sign of his movement's mindset at a time when many fear the country's political tension could descend into civil strife. His demeanour was calm and he emphasised that Hezbollah will work for change through democratic means.

But the political Arab League chief Amr Moussa has voiced concern the country could again descend into chaos, and Israel has put its troops in the north of the country on alert, citing fears of renewed violence on its northern border with Lebanon.