Hamas and Hizbullah have agreed to continue the war against Israel.

Leaders from the two groups met in Beirut and discussed strategy amid efforts to arrange a Palestinian Authority ceasefire with Israel. The Islamic insurgency organizations rejected the ceasefire and said they would maintain the war against the Jewish state.

"They agreed that the option of resistance and steadfastness was the only choice to confront the current situation," Hizbullah said in a statement after the meeting.

The statement said the Jan. 30 meeting included Hizbullah secretary- general Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Masha´al, Middle East Newsline reported. Both groups have received significant support from Iran.

The statement also said the two leaders discussed Western pressure on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon. Hizbullah, a significant benefactor of the regime of President Bashar Assad, has supported the Syrian occupation of Lebanon.

Western intelligence sources said Masha´al has been seeking to expand Hamas operations outside of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The sources said Hamas has received funding from Hizbullah and Iran to establish networks around the Middle East, Europe and the United States. (Copyright © 2005 East West Services, Inc. 02/01/05)