Friday, July 28, 2006

Hezbollah, a Twist of Arm or Fate?




Hezbollah is a Lebanese Islamist Shiite organisation with a military arm and a civilian arm. It can’t take power over as constitutionally not a single party can form a government. Power sharing is based on the representation of Lebanese population according to their faith. For example the President must be Christian and the Prime Minister a Sunni.

Its objectives are to be the arm and voice of those resisting the existence of Israel or having it as a military superpower in the region. It can enjoy support only among Muslim people as the Christians have their distinct way of life. It is the Christians for example who are reluctant to have Palestinian refugees on their soil. This means they don’t want to be involved in conflicts with Israel.
It will take a long time to disarm Hezbollah. It has acquired a pile of weapons during Syrian presence in Lebanon as it has learnt to make its weapons, especially missiles hitting Israel.

As long as it has support now within Lebanon and around the world, especially from those opposed to the US and Israel, it will remain a force to reckon with. Disarming it will mean to close all Lebanese borders and to make house to house search for weapons. Or to leave no stone unturned. As Israel failed to disarm Hamas which operates in a territory not yet recognised as an independent state, it will find it difficult to disarm Hezbollah which operates in an independent state with internationally recognized borders.

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