Lebanon and Hezbollah: Know Your Facts
Israel’s Invasion of Lebanon (1982)
Background: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, southern Lebanon became a base of operations for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which launched attacks on Israel from Lebanese territory. Lebanon, at the time, was engulfed in a civil war (1975-1990), creating a power vacuum that allowed various militias, including the PLO, to operate relatively freely.
Catalyst for Invasion: In June 1982, the assassination attempt on Israel's ambassador to the UK by a Palestinian faction escalated tensions. Although the group responsible was not directly linked to the PLO, Israel saw it as an opportunity to address the broader threat posed by PLO forces in Lebanon. Additionally, ongoing PLO rocket attacks on northern Israel provided further justification for military action.
Objective: Israel’s immediate objective was to drive the PLO out of southern Lebanon and establish a buffer zone to protect its northern border. Israeli forces aimed to push PLO fighters beyond Beirut and ultimately expel them from Lebanon altogether.
Operation: The military operation, known as "Operation Peace for Galilee", saw Israeli forces advancing deep into Lebanon, eventually reaching and surrounding Beirut. The PLO was forced to leave Beirut under international supervision, and many fighters relocated to Tunisia. However, Israel continued to occupy southern Lebanon, where they faced growing resistance from local militias and populations.
Rise of Hezbollah
Formation: After the Israeli invasion and subsequent occupation of southern Lebanon, a new Shiite Islamist militant group, Hezbollah ("Party of God"), began to form. Hezbollah was inspired by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and was supported by Iran, which provided funding, training, and arms. The Syrian government, which held considerable influence in Lebanon at the time, also supported Hezbollah to further its regional goals.
Goals: Hezbollah was founded with three main goals:
To resist the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
To establish an Islamic government in Lebanon, although this objective evolved as Hezbollah became more integrated into Lebanon's political system.
To fight against Western influence and Israeli presence in the region.
Tactics and Support: Hezbollah gained popular support among Lebanon’s Shiite population, who felt marginalized within Lebanon's political system and suffered greatly during the Israeli occupation. Hezbollah engaged in guerrilla warfare, including ambushes, suicide bombings, and rocket attacks against Israeli military forces and allied militias in southern Lebanon.
Withdrawal of Israel (2000): After years of sustained Hezbollah resistance, Israel eventually withdrew its forces from southern Lebanon in 2000, ending its 18-year occupation. Hezbollah claimed this as a major victory, significantly boosting its popularity in Lebanon and across the Arab world.
Hezbollah’s Standing in Lebanon
Political Power: Over time, Hezbollah transformed from a purely militant group into a major political force in Lebanon. It holds seats in the Lebanese parliament and has allied with other parties, giving it significant influence over national politics.
It operates as both a militia and a political party, and it provides extensive social services (e.g., healthcare, education) to Lebanese Shiite communities, which further bolsters its support base.
State within a State: Hezbollah maintains its own military wing, independent of the Lebanese state, and continues to receive backing from Iran and Syria. It operates largely autonomously within Lebanon, especially in the south and the Bekaa Valley, often referred to as a "state within a state" due to its separate military, political, and social infrastructure.
Reasons for Hezbollah’s Fight Against Israel
Resistance to Occupation: Hezbollah was originally founded as a resistance movement to combat the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Even after Israel's withdrawal in 2000, Hezbollah continued to justify its armed presence by citing ongoing disputes over small areas like the Shebaa Farms, which Hezbollah and Lebanon claim is Lebanese territory occupied by Israel (though the UN considers it Syrian territory).
Opposition to Israel’s Existence: Hezbollah’s leadership, under the influence of Iran, views Israel’s existence as illegitimate. The group remains committed to the destruction of Israel and the "liberation" of Jerusalem, consistent with its ideological foundations.
Proxy for Iran: Hezbollah also serves as a proxy force for Iran in its broader regional strategy against Israel and Western interests. Iran funds and arms Hezbollah to maintain pressure on Israel and to counterbalance Israeli and Western influence in the Middle East.
2006 Lebanon War: Hezbollah’s cross-border raids and rocket attacks on northern Israel in July 2006 led to a full-scale conflict known as the 2006 Lebanon War. The war ended inconclusively, but Hezbollah emerged with heightened regional prestige as it was able to withstand Israel’s military might.
In summary, Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 to expel the PLO and create a buffer zone, but the long occupation gave rise to Hezbollah, a powerful militant group with deep-rooted opposition to Israel. Hezbollah’s fight against Israel is driven by a mix of ideological, territorial, and political motivations, including its resistance to Israel's presence in the region and its ties to Iran's broader anti-Israel agenda.
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