Hezbollah
- This article is about the Hezbollah based in Lebanon. For an article about the unrelated Hezbollah in Turkey, see Hezbollah (Turkey).
The neutrality of this article is disputed.
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. It maintains an active militia, known as the Islamic Resistance. Since the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, the Islamic Resistance has skirmished with the Israel Defense Forces around Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms (which Hezbollah considers Lebanese territory) and near the Lebanese-Israeli border many times.
Hezbollah views an Islamic republic on the Iranian model as the most desirable form of governance. However, it sees this republic as emerging from the consent of the vast majority, and, as Lebanon is a multi-religious state, this could not happen in the near future.
In addition to its military wing, Hezbollah maintains a civilian arm, which runs hospitals, schools, orphanages, a television station and holds 12 seats in the Lebanese Parliament. Hezbollah is primarily active in the Bekaa Valley, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and southern Lebanon. The group is headed by "Sayed Hassan Nasrallah".
Hezbollah has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States [1] and the United Kingdom [2]; the U.S. Department of State notes that Hezbollah has killed more than 300 American citizens (over 200 of whom were Marines in Lebanon.) The European Union has not listed Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Those who consider Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization consider its sponsors (in particular Iran, Syria, and Lebanon) to stand in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1373. The UN has no official list of organizations to which Resolution 1373 applies[3]. Israel has lodged continuous complaints[4] about Hezbollah's actions.
Hezbollah claims that it forbids its fighters entry into Iraq for any reason, and that no Hezbollah units or individual fighters have entered Iraq to support any Iraqi faction fighting America. However, on April 2, 2004, Muqtada al-Sadr announced his intention to form chapters of Hezbollah and Hamas in Iraq[5]. He is not known to have consulted Hezbollah or Hamas before making this statement.
Hezbollah has no known links to Al-Qaida. Though Hezbollah has a Shi'ite ideology, this does not exclude it from co-operation with Sunnite groups; but Al-Qaida and the Taliban (which are respectively a Wahhabi and a Deobandi group) have long histories of conflict with Shi'a groups and with Iran, Hezbollah's strongest backer.
History
Hezbollah was formed from numerous other Lebanese Shia groups shortly after Israel's 1982 invasion of the mainly Shia southern part of Lebanon. Its 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
Until the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah fought Israel's occupation forces. Following the 1996 Grapes-of-Wrath agreement between the IDF and Hezbollah the conflict turned mostly low intensity, though the IDF still used tank shelling, helicopter missile fire in response to anti-tank missile attacks and Katyusha attacks on northern Israeli towns. Both sides mostly resorted to low intensity warfare tactics, including sniper fire, machine gunning, rocket fire, missiles and mortars. Both the IDF and Hezbollah developed commandos that specialized in warfare appropriate for the terrain of southern Lebanon.
While the war of attrition waged, 'normal' life still continued in south Lebanon. Hezbullah's mutually beneficial arrangements with the Lebanon Liaison Unit (headed by Brig. Generals Meir Dagan, Eli Amitai, ...) in Marjaoun, date from the earliest days culminating with the last Liaison Unit Commander-Brig. General Benny Gantz, who led the Liaison unit out of Lebanon during its military withdrawal in May 2000.
Hezbollah's modeled their premier elite Unit 13 after Israels Navy Commandos. Hezbollah claimed that a 1997 failed attack by Israeli SEAL unit was amnushed by Unit 13, though the IDF claims that the attack failed when the SEALs stepped on a landmine, trigering the detonation of a charge they carried.
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, which killed 63 including 17 Americans, and of the US Marine barracks in Beirut (see Marine Barracks Bombing), which killed 241 American servicemen. The attack upon the United States embassy annex in Beirut in September 1984 killed 20 people including 2 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, detention and torture of American and other Western hostages in Lebanon by groups such as Islamic Jihad who claimed the hostage-takings were in retaliation to the detentions without charge, trial or POW status of many Arabs at SLA prison and torture chamber Khiam, where many prisoners were apparently hostages (e.g. the families of suspected Hezbollah guerrillas may be detained). (Hezbollah has not accepted responsibility.)
Unit 13 ambushes of Israel's troops occured on ocassion less than 100 meters from Israels border. Difficulties in providing reinforcements and resupply by land in part due to Hezbollah's successful guerrilla attacks, Israel took to the air and began using helicopters to resupply its troops in Lebanon.
In October 1997, Unit 13 Hunter Killer Anti-Commando Squadron Firqat attacked an Israel patrol killing 2 soldiers and wounding 6 near Markaba, 30 meters from Israel's border.
3 months later in Jan. 1998, a 3 man Hezbullah Unit 13 squad's commando raid on Blat, less than a km. from Israel border, killed 3 more Israeli soldiers.
August 1998 saw Hezbullah Special Forces launch a simultaneous all-out assault assault on 18 outposts of Israel and South Lebanon Army, with a 3 man Unit 13 squad assaulting the South Lebanon Army compound at Haddatha, blowing up its ramparts and raising their flag while the SLA took cover in their bunker.
Hezbollah AA units "Saladins Falcons" equipped with SA-7, SA-14, SA-18 and Stinger missiles caused IDF helicopters to switch tactics and fly high and use flares in order to avoid missiles. Not a single IDF helicopter or warplane was brought down by these antiquated Soviet weapons. However, a collision of 2 Israel helicopters on 4 Feb. 1997,loaded with reinforcement troops and ammunition for their Sojod outpost caused the death of over 48 Israel soldiers. This incident tilted Israeli public opinion further in favor of a pullout from Lebanon.
Hezbollah recognized Unit 13 as the most successful in operations against the IDF.
On 10 June 1996 Hezbollah Unit 13 hunter-killer elements ambushed a patrol of IDF Paratrooper Recon and killed 5 soldiers. This successful ambush led to Hezbollah greatly increasing their special forces capability.
In 1999, 2 major ambushes against IDF forces proved the continued hopelessness of Israels military occupation of S. Lebanon.
Various intelligence & documents, Hezbollah claims were sold by Ashkinazi (versus his claim that his computer was stolen) provided the intelligence for an attack that killed IDF Brig. General Erez Gerstein.
Following these ambushes, Israel concentrated the remainder of 1999 until their withdrawal in May 2000 on Air Force operations and no longer carried out further passive patrolling operations.
Special actions of the Hezbollah Abu Ruhm Special Forces Unit against the Israeli sponsored South Lebanese Army mercenary forces resulted in blinding SLA by assassination of its key Security Services Intelligence assets and ably assisted by unceasing attacks on SLA by Hezbollah's Abu Burdah Special Forces Unit led to SLA's panicked surrender and IDF's hasty 24 hour withdrawal.
Aside from fighting the IDF in Lebanon Hezbollah may have been involved in international terrorism. In 1992 and 1994, Hezbollah is claimed to have carried out the Israeli Embassy Bombing and the AMIA Bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2000 and Later
In 2000, Israel withdrew from Lebanon to the UN-agreed Israeli border. However, the Shebaa Farms area is occupied by Israel, which Hezbollah regards as part of Lebanon territory. The UN considers the Shebaa Farms part of the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights, which has been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967 and has since been unilaterally annexed by Israel.
Hezbollah kidnapped the bodies of three IDF soldiers during a 2001 attack in Shebaa Farms. 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 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 an Israeli businessman and army reserve colonel kidnapped in 2001 and the remains of the 3 Israeli soldiers mentioned above.
Hezbollah has continued to shell the northern border region of Israel with mortars and Katyusha artillery rockets, inciting condemnation from the UN Secretary-General[6].
In 7 May 2004 Hezbollahs Unit 13 Hunter-Killer Anti-Commando Firqat lured a reconnaissance patrol of Israels elite Egoz Anti-Terrorism unit into a mechanical ambush of booby traps near Gladiola outpost resulting in 1 Egoz member killed, 3 Egoz seriously wounded and 8 Egoz lightly wounded.
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.
Canadian 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). [source: Canada's United Nations Suppression of Terrorism Regulations (SCHEDULE 1), SOR/2001-360, Registration: 2 October, 2001][7]
Organization
Hezbollah is closely allied with Iran and has a complex relationship with Syria. 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 widely believed that Hafez al-Assad and Hezbollah were closely related, he managed to avoid international criticism. Bashar Assad, his son and successor has infuriated the US due to (among other things) continued support for Hezbollah. The USA has imposed economic sanctions on Syria for their suppport of terrorism.
Israel has bombed several Syrian targets in retaliation for terror attacks by 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 sponsoring terrorism".
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". It is generally accepted that Al-Manar is the mouthpiece of Hezbollah.
Al-Nour radio
Hezbollah operates its own radio station, named Al-Nour (means Light).
Other
Qubth Ut Alla (The Fist of God), the monthly magazine of Hezbullah's paramilitary wing.
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 Mugniyah | Islam | Islam as a political movement | Islamic Terrorism | 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
see also: 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]