Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said on Wednesday that whether to disarm Hezbollah is Lebanon's internal affairs, and Lebanon will take steps only when consensus is reached among all Lebanese.

Before attending a cabinet meeting, Lahoud told reporters here that Hezbollah is the only Arab force capable of resisting and defeating Israel, so no one can disarm it, not even by force.

The United States, which demands the Shiite militia group be disarmed, also said on Wednesday that it would be ultimately up to the Lebanese government, with UN backing, to make sure Hezbollah is disarmed.

Asked what role the government forces would play in south Lebanon, Lahoud said the troops, alongside UN forces, would provide help and protection for the refugees in the south.

The president also called on all friendly countries to contribute troops to the UN peacekeeping forces.

Lebanon's cabinet has approved the deployment of 15,000 troops in south Lebanon according to a UN resolution aimed at ending conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah.

Last Friday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1701, calling for Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon and authorizing an increase of the existing UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, from 2,000 to 15,000 to help Lebanese troops take control of south Lebanon, a traditional stronghold of Hezbollah guerrillas.

The deployment is due to begin at 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Israeli army said on Wednesday that it had begun pulling back from south Lebanon and handed over some positions to a UN force.

The month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began on July 12, when two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Hezbollah in a cross-border attack.

The abduction drew Israel's retaliating bombardments on Lebanon, which had killed over 1,000 Lebanese. Israel has suffered some 150 fatalities during the fighting.