Hizbalah

The neutrality of this article is disputed.

Hezbollah militant
Guerrilla carrying Hezbollah Flag

Hezbollah (Arabic ‮حزب الله‬, meaning Party of God; also written as Hizbullah or Hizbollah) is a militant Shia political party in Lebanon. Hezbollah began as a guerrilla group fighting against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon; despite Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon it still maintains an active militia, known as the Islamic Resistance.

Hezbollah seeks to create an Islamic fundamentalist, Iranian-style state in all of Lebanon, and eventually nearby states, and seeks the removal of all non-Islamic influences. Reportedly, the group has changed its goals in 1986 to "fighting Israel until liberation" [ed. see links below].

United States officials consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization; the U.S. Department of State notes that Hezbollah has killed more than 300 American citizens. Though Hezbollah denies any links to the militant . Some in the European Union consider Hezbollah as a Lebanese political group. Hezbollah is not currently on the European Union list of terrorist organisations. The United Nations listed Hezbollah in the "Suppression of Terrorism Regulations".

The civilian arm of Hezbollah maintains It runs hospitals, schools, orphanages, a television station and holds 12 seats in the Lebananese Parliament. Hezbollah is primarily active in the Bekaa valley, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and southern Lebanon. The group is headed by Sheik Hassan Nasrallah.

History

Hezbollah was formed from numerous other Lebanese Shia groups shortly after Israel's 1982 invasion of the southern, Shia region of Lebanon. It's organization was greatly aided by the arrival of 1,500 Revolutionary Guards from Iran, only three years after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran, as an Islamic republic -- especially a Shia one -- remains a close ally, influence, and model for Hezbollah.

Combat Operations

Prior to 2000

Hezbollah is known or suspected to have been involved in numerous attacks on American targets in Lebanon during the 1980's, including the suicide bombings of the U.S. Embassy and US Marine barracks in Beirut. In October 1983, the attack upon the US Marine barracks killed 241 American servicemen. The attack upon the United States embassy annex in Beirut in September 1984 killed 63 people including 18 Americans. American forces were at the time engaged in fighting against Hezbollah, both viewing the others party as the aggressor. Elements of the group have been linked to involvement in kidnapping and detention of American and other Western hostages in Lebanon. (Hezbollah has not accepted responsibility.)

2000 and Later

Hezbollah captured three Israeli soldiers and attacked Israeli forces near Shebaa Farms continued to shell the northern border region of Israel with mortars and Katyusha artillery rockets. Hezbollah has sought to obtain the release of 14 Lebanese prisoners. Some of whom have been held since 1978. On January 25, 2004, Hezbollah and Israel has agreed on a exchange of prisoners. The prisoner swap was carried out on January 29, 30 Lebanese and Arab prisoners, the remains of 60 Lebanese militants and civilians, 420 Palestinian prisoners, and maps showing Israeli mines in South Lebanon were exchanged for 4 Israelis, an Israeli businessman and army reserve colonel kidnapped in 2001 and the remains of the 3 Israeli soldiers mentioned above.

Entrance in political arena

Today, Hezbollah is an active participant in the political life and processes of Lebanon, and its scope of operation is far beyond its initial militant one. In 1992, it participated in elections for the first time, winning 12 out of 128 seats in parliament. It won 10 seats in 1996, and now holds 8. Since the end of the Israeli occupation of Lebanon on May 24 2001, the Hezbollah has been involved in activities like building schools, clinics, hospitals and other needed services for their society.

United Nations list of alternate names

Hezbollah is also known as Islamic Jihad (Islamic Holy War), Islamic Jihad Organization, Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, Ansar al-Allah (Followers of God), Al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah (Islamic Resistance), Organization of the Oppressed, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth, Revolutionary Justice Organization, Organization of Right Against Wrong, and Followers of the Prophet Muhammed). United Nations Suppression of Terrorism Regulations (SCHEDULE 1), SOR/2001-360, Registration: 2 October, 2001^[1]

Organization

Hezbollah is closely allied with, and often directed by, Iran and Syria but may have conducted operations that were not approved by Tehran or Damascus. Hezbollah is strongly anti-Zionist, anti-West, and anti-Israeli government. Some western media outlets sometimes associate the name 'Hezbollah' with 'terrorism', whereas other sources do not.

Hezbollah is claimed to be a right arm of Syria which allows it to attack Israel without being directly responsible to it. Although it is well known that Assad and Hezbollah are closely related, he managed to avoid international criticism, thus the USA is threatening Syria with economical sanction for their suppport of terrorism.

Israel has bombed serveral Syrian targets in retaliation for terror attacks of Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah that Israel claims were sponsored by Syria. An Israeli official said that those attacks are a "message to Syria to stop sponsering terrorism".

However, some commentators believe that Hezbollah has grown in strength and that it is no longer a puppet of Syria. According to them, Hezbollah has a strong reputation among the Arab world that allows it to defy the directions from Damascus and Tehran.

Ideology

The organization holds an Islamic republic as the ideal and eventual form of state. However, as their conception of an Islamic republic requires the consent of the people, and Lebanon remains a religiously and ideologically heterogeneous society, their political platform revolves around more mundane issues. According to their published political platform in 2003, Hezbollah favors the introduction of an Islamic government in Lebanon by peaceful democratic means. According to the United States Department of State and reports submitted to Defense Technical Information Center (among other United States agencies) as late as 2001, the organization is seeking to create an fundamentalist Iranian-style Islamic republic and removal of all non-Islamic influences.

Al-Manar TV Network

Hezbollah is said to operate its own satellite television station from Lebanon. The station is called Al-Manar TV, meaning "the Lighthouse". The Israelis claim that Al-Manar is the mouthpiece of Hezbollah.

Al-Nour radio

Hezbollah is said to operate his own radio station, named by Al-Nour (means Light).

See also

Anti-Israel movements | Arab-Israeli conflict | Axis of evil | Council on American-Islamic Relations | Dar al-Islam | Foreign relations of Iran | Foreign relations of Lebanon | History of Lebanon | Imad Mughniyeh | Islam | Islam as a political movement | Islamism | Israel Defence Forces | Israeli-Palestinian conflict | Katyusha | List of terrorist groups | Oslo Accords | Politics of Lebanon | Qassam rocket | Shebaa Farms | Special Force (computer game) | Terrorism | War on Terrorism | William Francis Buckley

External links, Resources, and References

Official site

• Hizbollah (an English version is also available)
• Al-Manar TV Network
• Al-Nour radio

United States Department of State

• This article incorporates text from the United States Department of State, "Background Information on Foreign Terrorist Organizations," released by the Office of Counterterrorism, October 8, 1999.
• This article also in incorporates text from the United States Department of State, "Foreign Terrorist Organizations," Secretary of State, October 8, 1999.

Information

• Zisser, Eyal, "The Return of Hizbullah". Middle East Quarterly, Fall 2003.
• Westcott, Kathryn, "Who are Hezbollah?, BBC News Online
• Hezbollah: Lebanon, Islamists, Council on Foreign Relations
• Hezbollah in Profile, Parliament of Australia (PDF version)
• Abridged translation of "Nass al-Risala al-Maftuha allati wajahaha Hizballah ila-l-Mustad'afin fi Lubnan wa-l-Alam" (Hizballah Program), February 16, 1985 in al-Safir (Beirut).
• CNN transcripts
• Hezbollah at Terrorismfiles.org
• Rotten.com article on Hezbollah
• Hezbollah: Between Tehran and Damascus by Gary C. Gambill and Ziad K. Abdelnour
• Hizbollah: Identity and goals.
• "Liberals, Labor, ABC unite against Hezbollah but are they telling the truth?"

Specific attacks

• US Marine Barracks. October 23, 1983 - Beirut, Lebanon [241 Killed]
• US Embassy. April 18, 1983 Beirut, Lebanon. [63 Killed]