The Lebanon-based Higher Islamic Shiite Council on Wednesday said anti-Israeli armed resistance was a basic right and armed factions were not militias. In a statement it issued, the council said UN Resolution 1559 was "not applicable." The council added the Lebanese people stood up against Israeli occupation and resisted it, adding that armed resistance was a national right and an indication of patriotism. It praised Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's initiatives for laying down national dialogue channels, and called for strengthening Lebanese-Syrian relations and easing tension between the two countries.