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Hezbollah – a Symbol of the Struggle for National Liberation Or a Terrorist Organization?

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Hezbollah – a Symbol of the Struggle for National Liberation Or a Terrorist Organization? 148 MOLDOSCOPIE, 2016, nr.1 (LXXII) HEZBOLLAH – A SYMBOL OF THE STRUGGLE FOR NATIONAL LIBERATION OR A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION? Nejma ASSADI Israel, Hayfa PhD student of the Moldova State University, Faculty of History and Philoso- phy, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova Marcel BENCHECI Republic of Moldova, Chisinau, Academy of Science of Moldova, Institute of Juridical and Political Studies, Centre of Strategic Researches Researcher, vice-director of Center Prezentul articol analizează constituirea şi evoluţia Hezbollah atît sub as- pectul de organizaţie politică, cît şi evidenţierea acţiunilor teroriste ale aceste- ia. În ultimii treizeci de ani Hezbollah reprezintă un simbol al luptei pentru eli- berare şi demnitate naţională pentru unii şi organizaţie teroristă pentru alţii (Israel, Canada, Marea Britanie, SUA, Olanda, Australia şi Egipt), avînd o ac- tivitate politică şi socială intensă. The current article examines the creation and evolution of Hezbollah both in terms of a political organization, as well as highlighting its terrorist actions. In the last thirty years Hezbollah is a symbol of national dignity and freedom fight for some and a terrorist organization for others (Israel, Canada, UK, USA, Netherlands, Australia and Egypt), with an intense social and political ac- tivity. Keywords: Hezbollah, political party, terrorist organization, national libe- ration, guerrilla. The Hezbollah organization (the party of God), started its way as a small group of Shi‘ite Lebanese religious people, graduates of religious institutions in Najaf in Iraq and Qom in Iran, who were the disciples of Mohammad Baqir Al- Sadr. The organization started in small groups in second half of 1982 and begin- ning of 1983 in the town of Baalbek in Beqaa Valley of Lebanon. Within a few years, the Hezbollah organization started building a leading position in social and political fields in Lebanon, not just in the field of struggle against Israel and the West. On February 16, 1985, day of the first anniversary after the death of Raeb Harb, one of the founders of the organization who was eliminated in Sout- hern Lebanon, the Hezbollah organization announced its existence and publi- shed its platform [1, р.285-335]. MOLDOSCOPIE, 2016, nr.1 (LXXII) 149 The rise of Hezbollah organization in Lebanon was not only as a result of the direct factors which caused it and shaped its way in those years: The first – Israeli invasion to Southern Lebanon, which reached the sub- urbs of the Lebanese capital in 1982. This invasion brought to a peak a continu- ous involvement of Israel in affairs of Lebanon, and made Israel a convenient target to which a large part of the fervor and radicalism, characterizing Shi‘ites in Lebanon in those years, were directed, especially the Hezbollah organization. The second – Islamic revolution in Iran at the beginning of 1979, a revolu- tion which became a source of inspiration and a model of imitation for Shi‘ites in Lebanon; involvement of the Islamic Iranian regime in Lebanon, and invol- vement of Syria in Lebanon. In addition to the above, there was a political arou- sal of the Shi‘ite community, which started at the end of the 60‘s. Hence, a great importance is attributed to social, economic and political circumstances in Leb- anon, which served as an indirect factor and an important background in estab- lishment of the Hezbollah organization [2]. In the coming years, Iran became a main source of economic, military, and political support for Hezbollah. The Iranian assistance to Hezbollah included Iranian volunteers, about 1500 people of Army of Guardians of the Revolution, that arrived to Beqaa Valley after the Israeli invasion in 1982. In addition, Ira- nians provided Hezbollah with a large financial assistance, which reached, in its peak, tens of millions of dollars annually. This assistance enabled them to deve- lop a set of welfare and social services, which help Hezbollah to establish its status in the Shi‘ite community. The Iranians as well supplied Hezbollah with advanced weapons through Syria, as well as technical and military assistance. Syria enabled Iran to enter into the Lebanese political arena, which has been un- der Syrian control since 1976. That means that Syria was a strategic ally against Israeli and American threat that was directed at the Islamic resistance in South- ern Lebanon, the ―Hezbollah‖ organization [3]. Hezbollah's Ideology The first cores of Hezbollah organization were shaped in the second half of 1982 and the beginning of 1983, in the city of Baalbek, and within a few years the organization started to establish for itself a leading status in matters of social and political issues in Lebanon, rather than just in the field of the struggle against Israel and the West. Iran's outstanding influence of Hezbollah's pan-Isla- mic ideology has been shown in the formulation of an ideological platform of the organization, which was published in February 16, 1985, on the first annive- rsary after the death of Sheikh Raev Harb, one of the founders of the organizati- on who was eliminated in Southern Lebanon by the hands of Israel. In that oc- casion, Hezbollah announced its existence and published its platform [4]. 150 MOLDOSCOPIE, 2016, nr.1 (LXXII) Ibrahim Al-Amin read aloud the platform in Husniye in Al-Uzai in West- ern Beirut, and afterwards the platform was distributed as an open letter (Rassa- la Maftuha) to the "exploited in Lebanon and the world". The images decorating the external cover of the platform testified to its content. The first image was of Shahid Raeb Harb, who symbolized the struggle against the enemy of Hezbol- lah, and the second was of Imam Humeini, the Iranian leader, head of the Islam- ic movement that Hezbollah identified with. The complete ideological identifi- cation with Iran was symbolic as well. The flag of Hezbollah is the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The caption on symbol of the organization, an integra- tion of Earth and a hand that holds a Kalashnikov sub-machine gun, read: the Is- lamic revolution in Lebanon (Al-Thaura Al-Islamiya fi Lubnan). The platform that is considered as the political constitution of Hezbollah, published in Febru- ary 22, 1985, in the Al-Ahed newspaper, the mouthpiece of Hezbollah [5]. The platform of Hezbollah in an Open Letter (Al-Rassala Al-Maftuha) an- nounces its ideology, and divides it according to long-term goals and immediate goals. Its long-term goals are to establish a revolutionary Islamic republic in Le- banon according to the Iranian model, as a strategic goal and as a stage in estab- lishing a worldwide Islamic republic [6]. Purposes of the organization The immediate purposes that stand before it, are: 1. Taking Israel out of Lebanon once and for all, as an introduction to its final liquidation and liberating Jerusalem. 2. Taking the USA, France and their allies out of Lebanon and bringing the influence of the West in Lebanon to an end. 3. Making the Phalanges obey the just regime and bringing them to justice for their crimes against Muslims and Christians performed with encouragement of America and Israel. 4. Giving our people a full freedom of choice to decide about their destiny and choose the kind of regime they want. We do not hide our commitment to an Islamic regime, so we call everybody to choose an Islamic regime, which is the only one which promises justice and respect for everyone, and will prevent any attempt of a renewed imperialistic penetration into our country [7]. Hezbollah refers to the Lebanese government and its administration as an oppressing and discriminating establishment, but it disqualifies the use of power in order to get rid of it. Hezbollah people prefer to stay oppressed in a state that keeps order than to have a violent entity that would turn against the oppressing establishment. Turning to arms by the organization against the state would be done should the state threaten the existence of the organization. This objection to the Lebanese establishment was the reason why Hezbollah has avoided parti- cipating in the Lebanese governments during the years of 1992-2005 [8]. MOLDOSCOPIE, 2016, nr.1 (LXXII) 151 Hezbollah uses Lebanese democracy in order to maintain its status and even strengthen it. It demands cancellation of the method of different communi- ties, because a relative method would provide it with a political advantage over other communities. It waits for the moment when there would be an Islamic ma- jority in Lebanon in order to establish an Islamic state. The seniors of the organ- ization tried to calm down the other communities by saying that should Hezbol- lah win a regular majority it would not try to enforce Islamic law on the minori- ty. All people would have the right to participate in making decisions on social and the economic levels and send representatives to the Majles (parliament) which would be under the supervision of a supreme religious committee of reli- gious theoreticians (Ulama and Mujatahgin) [9]. Hezbollah is Lebanese, but it derives its legitimacy from Iranian political leadership that emphasizes the prin- ciple of rule of a religious scholar (Valie Faqih) [10]. The Structure of Hezbollah Organization Since it was established, Hezbollah has gone through a fast process of de- velopment, which brought about its branching to different branches and wings: political, military, social and informative. This development has strengthened it in the Lebanese arena in various fields, including a social and economic net- work of help, so that it would not focus only on military activities, which means on terrorism [11]. According to its structure, it is managed by the Supreme Shura Council (Majles Shura Al-Karar) that consists of nine members: seven Lebanese, Sheikh Hasan Nasrallah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hashem Safi Addin, Sheikh Ibrahim Amin Al-Said, Sheikh Muhamed Yazbek and Haj Imad Muaniye (who was eli- minated in 2008), and two Iranian members.
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