"A Palestinian group has dared to sell off the sacred principles of the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims in their main cause, without any excuse or justification," Hezbollah said.

The Geneva Initiative "contains unprecedented concessions on the national principles of the Palestinian people and risks legitimising the liqiidation of the Palestinian cause if it is later adopted by a Palestinian Authority," the group added.

The unofficial initiative, drawn up by leading Palestinians and Israeli opposition politicians, seeks to solve the thorniest problems in the Middle East conflict, including the status of Jerusalem and the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

But Hezbollah described it as offering "a political process aimed at the definitive liquidation of the essence of the Palestinian cause."

The initiative "transforms the promised Palestinian state into an entity without sovereignty, subjected to the political, security and economic domination of Israel".

Hezbollah also condemned the internationally drafted "roadmap", which envisages a Palestinian state by 2005 in exchange for security guarantees for Israel, saying the plan was aimed at "liquidating the resistance and imposing a surrender on the Palestinian people."

Israel has given its lukewarm support to the roadmap, but the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has categorically rejected the Geneva Initiative.

WAR.WIRE