Photo: AP
Lebanese woman holds Hezbollah flag during march in Tire to mark the 6th anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon after 18 years of occupation (May 25, 2006)
Advertising
Hezbollah, which means “Party of God” in Arabic, is a Lebanese Shiite group founded in 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War. The conflict occurred between 1975 and 1990 due to politicalreligious disputes between Maronist Christians, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims living in the country.
One of the points of contention at the time was support for Israel and Palestine. At this point, Hezbollah emerged to confront Israelis attempting to invade southern Lebanon and to provide support to Palestinians fleeing the Israeli government in that region.
Dispute with Israel and the Hezbollah organization
In the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on Saturday (7), there is speculation about the possibility of an alliance between Hezbollah and Hamas in solidarity with the Sunni Islamic group due to its larger and better equipped military structure. Furthermore, the disagreement between Israel and Hezbollah continues to this day due to the confrontation between the two since 1982.
In 1992, Israel assassinated Hezbollah’s then leader, Abbas alMusawi. When Hassan Nasrallah, the new leader, reorganized the group, it entered the political field. This year, Hezbollah took part in parliamentary elections and won eight seats in parliament.
Today the organization has a significant significance in Lebanon’s political life and is organized along four axes:
Politically, with parliamentarians, ministers and an alliance with Christian parties;
Social work, through work in Shiite hospitals and schools;
Economy, which includes fundraising events around the world and a television station, Al Manar;
Military with a militia involved in the conflict in Syria that supports the Bashar Al Assad government against the rebels;
Hezbollah versus Hamas
Hezbollah
It was created in Lebanon in 1982 during the Israeli occupation in the south of the country and is Shiite;
He is close to the Iranian regime because both are Shiites. Acts as an extension of the Iranian Armed Forces;
Formation of an armed militia with large military power;
Hamas
He is Palestinian, a graduate of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s and a Sunni Muslim;
It has ties with Iran, but not as close as Hezbollah;
It does not have as offensive military power as Hezbollah;
Controls the Gaza Strip, an area between Israel and Egypt.
read more