BEIRUT, May 2: Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday that he respects Israel for issuing a damning report on last year's war against his guerillas in Lebanon.

“It is worth every respect when an inquiry commission ... is appointed by (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert ... and it condemns Olmert,” Nasrallah said at a book fair in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold.

“I will not stand here to rejoice at the misfortunes of Olmert, (Defence Minister Amir) Peretz and (former army chief Dan) Halutz,” he said.

“One can only respect the butchers' enemy leaders ... when they work day and night for their prisoners,” he added.

On Monday, the inquiry accused the three men of “serious failure” in handling the 34-day war sparked by Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers.

“They study their defeat in order to learn from it,” unlike Arab states that “do not probe, do not ask, do not form inquiry commissions ... as if nothing has happened,” Nasrallah said.

“It is a pity that we have to wait for an Israeli commission to confirm our victory.

“The first important result of the commission is that it has settled -- officially and for good -- the issue of victory and defeat,” Nasrallah said.—AFP