Hezbollah by victoria silva hezbollah is a wellknown terrorist group based in lebanon, whose ideology is a radical interpretation of shii islamism, following the model of ayatollah ruhollah khomeini. As a lebanesearmenian colleague of mine once astutely observed, the israelis have tried to treat. Since mughniyahs death, the group has engaged in its most aggressive terrorist campaign targeting israeli interests outside the middle east since the 1990s. During the 1980s, the cia and israeli intelligence began targeting hezbollahs leadership. University of texas press, 1987 augustus richard norton 2000. The eu has placed the secondhighest hezbollah official on its terrorist list, and eu member states have taken legal action against hezbollah, including the germany deportation of a hezbollah agent and the french banning of hezbollah television, al manar. The partys fighting strength has grown substantially since the 2006 lebanon war.
The changing face of terrorism offers a history of hezbollah that is now outdated, so as with hamas this should not be the only book you read, but it provides a good starting point for learning about the basic origins and mission of hezbollah offering a look at the clanistic regional politics of lebanon. Mar 22, 2016 daniel byman testifies before the house committee on foreign affairs subcommittee on the middle east and north africa on hezbollah s growing threat against u. Hezbollahs terrorist threat to the european union the. Executive summary changing threat environment since september 11th, 2001, americas national security officials have focused on preventing another catastrophic attack on our homeland by defeating the terrorist threat. Based amongst the poor shiite population, it takes its inspiration from the iranian revolution and the teachings of ayatollah khomeini. More recently, hezbollah established a dedicated unit unit 3800 to support iraqi shia militias targeting coalition forces during the iraq war, which mostly focused on training shia militias but also engaged in. American security project since 1982, hezbollah, the lebanese party of god and iranbacked shiite terrorist organization, has antagonized its enemies through a potent mix of armed attacks and psychological warfare. Iranlebanon hostage payments reported, facts on file world digest. Name 3 ways terrorists are now exchanging information. A history of terrorism hezbollah is an iranianbacked, lebanonbased terrorist network with global reach that poses a direct threat to american interests at home and abroad. The oft heard but unattributed quote one mans terrorist is anot hermans.
Even though hezbollah and hamas have in the past held different position on how to. Hezbollah has the armed strength of a mediumsized army. Todays hearing on hezbollahs strategic shift is extremely timely. Introduction a research about terrorism and resistance needs careful examination of each term, both terms need conceptualization to draw lines of differences between both terms.
Background and issues for congress congressional research service 1 overview and key issues lebanons hezbollah1 party of god is a shiite islamist militia, political party, social welfare organization, and u. Hezbollah chief sheikh hassan nasrallah, 2016 ap images 1982 19821992 1983 1985 1985 hezbollah. It includes our visions and stances and the aspirations, expectations and fears that preoccupy us. In 2006, during the 34day israelhezbollah war, hezbollah launched sophisticated cyberattacks against websites in multiple countries that supported israel, including targets in the united states. Request pdf on feb 1, 2007, rola elhusseini and others published judith palmer harik hezbollah. Hezbollahs terrorist wing and later of its militia battalion is syria as well. This leads the author to conclude that hezbollah s legitimate claim to be a resistance movement rather than a terrorist group has resulted in what she entitles chapter 12, americas halfhearted war against terrorism pp. What seems to produce pressure for terrorists to increase their impact and violence. The group has killed more americans than any other. Intelligence and terrorist information center, center for special studies, hezbollah.
Hezbollah is an iraniansponsored, internationally sanctioned terrorist group with an antiisrael and antiu. Most experts believe what 2 countries are the main power centers for terrorism. Hezbollah changes battle tactics to fight syrian rebels. It receives financial and political support from iran and syria, and its paramilitary wing is regarded as a resistance movement throughout much of the arab and muslim worlds. Hezbollah was founded in the early 1980s as part of an iranian effort to aggregate a variety of militant lebanese shia groups into a unified organization. This is a serious matter of the constantly changing world of images in which we have to keep our heads straight to know what terrorism is and what it is not ahmed, 1998, p. But we can also consider it nationalist since its origin was to expel foreign forces israel, u. The group has killed more americans than any other terrorist group except alqaida and has carried out numerous attacks. The investigation uncovered that syrian and senior hezbollah members were directly involved in the assassination 60, and in january 2014, in the international criminal court in the hague, four senior hezbollah members were put on trial for the murder of hariri and for committing acts of terrorism ayyash et al. The changing face of al qaeda and the global war on terrorism. The emergent relationship between iran, hezbollah, and hamas is especially noteworthy in its potential to turn gaza into a genuine southern front against israel. Several other plots have been disrupted, including the 2014 arrests.
Another way hezbollah fighters have augmented syrian forces is through acting as advisers and trainers for the syrian military and paramilitary forces, either in an embedded or partnered capacity. Today hezbollah s military wing controls the major faultline of the middle east. Struggle for the soul of lebanon austin and london. Hezbollah rules that border and plays a pivotal role in the politics of the region. This week marks the 21st anniversary of the 1992 israeli embassy bombing. The main countries conducting counterterrorism ops against hezbollah are israel and the united states. Israel also waged war with lebanon in the 1980s with the goal of taking out the terrorist organizations located there, one of which is hezbollah. The changing face of terrorism judith palmer harik on amazon. Hezbollah s history, ideology, goals and operational capabilities the recent wave of antiamerican demonstrations in egypt and the murder of an american ambassador and three embassy staff workers in libya makes it clear that americas global war on terrorism has simply fueled the growth of numerous terrorist organizations. Terrorism the use or threatened use of violence terror in order to achieve a political, religious, or ideological aim hezbollah was responsible for the bombing of a tourist bus in bulgaria, killing five israelis an. Their deployment has also introduced vulnerabilities into both the infrastructure that. Hezbollah shows all the elements of hybrid warfare. Attorneys offices across the country prosecute cases involving terrorist financing, working closely with the departments national. Hezbollahs global reach united states department of state.
Hezbollah is generally considered the most powerful nonstate actor in the world, and to be stronger than the lebanese army. Hezbollahs paramilitary wing is the jihad council, and its political wing is the loyalty to the resistance bloc party in the lebanese. Ahmad nizar hamzeh, in the path of hizbullah syracuse, new york. According to a united states cia world factbook estimate, shias comprise 28. The group has killed more americans than any other terrorist group except alqaida and has carried out numerous attacks against israelis.
Hezbollah has a 30year history of terrorist activity in lebanon, the middle east and around the globe, directed against israel, the jewish people, the united states and the west, prowestern arab states and hezbollahs enemies in lebanon. I commend the dutch government for its bold decision in 2004. But hezbollah s leader, sheikh hasan nasrallah, who we met in beirut, insists that his group no longer poses a threat to the u. Today hezbollahs military wing controls the major faultline of the middle east.
Hariks work is the definitive study of the party of god, and will be vital reading for all concerned with the future of the middle east and the wider world. Among these tactics, hezbollah pioneered the use of cyberoperations as a tool of coercion over a decade ago and. Testimony submitted to the house foreign affairs subcommittee on the middle east and north africa. Judith palmer harik, hezbollah the changing face of terrorism, london. Hezbollah originated within the shia block of lebanese society. A hybrid force, the group maintains robust conventional and unconventional military capabilities. Hezbollah is accused by israel and the bush administration of a type of islamist terrorism similar to al qaeda but used in the context of national liberation, just like hamas. Hezbollah is a shia islamic militant group and political party based in lebanon. Hezbollah s media activities mainly happen through hezbollah s newspapers, hezbollah s almanar television station, and hezbollah s radio nour. Hezbollah fighters have also led units comprised of iraqi shia militants, especially in damascus. Jul 31, 2015 the main countries conducting counterterrorism ops against hezbollah are israel and the united states.
Failure to respond to that attack emboldened hezbollah, which incurred no cost for the attack. Hezbollah was conceived by muslim clerics and funded by iran primarily to harass israel. Syrian civil war edit since 2012, hezbollah has engaged on a military deployment to syria to fight for the assad regime in the ongoing civil war. But hezbollahs leader, sheikh hasan nasrallah, who we met in beirut, insists that his group no longer poses a threat to the u. Hezbollah is primarily based in lebanon, but has carried out terrorist and criminal operations around the world. Since its emergence in 1982, hezbollah has waged an antiisrael campaign and guerilla war against israeli forces. Urbancic, principal deputy coordinator for counterterrorism to the house committee on international relations subcommittee on international terrorism and nonproliferation and subcommittee on middle east and central asia.
The following is an excerpt from his prepared remarks. Hezbollah will likely face challenges resupplying its rockets and missiles in the near term. Despite the classification of hezbollah as a terrorist group by several states. This has made it harder for nefarious actors of all different backgrounds to enter the united states. There are a variety of spellings of hezbollah as reflected in these book titles. The changing face of al qaeda and the global war on terrorism article in studies in conflict and terrorism 276. Hezbollah, or the party of god, arose from the flames of the lebanese civil war in 1982 to resist the israeli invasion.
The changing face of terrorism by judith palmer harik. Given hezbollah s role as a major actor in lebanese politics and as one of the most active armed islamist groups, it would be useful to have a comprehensive account of the organizations activities and viewpoints written by an analyst who has access to the group for materials not publicly available. The new hezbollah manifesto november 2009 hezbollahs new political document aims to define the political vision of the party. Fromerwexler fellow and director, stein program on counterterrorism and intelligence, the washington institute for near east policy. Hezbollahs threat potential led former deputy secretary of state richard armitage to dub it the ateam of terrorism. Hezbollah acts as a proxy for iran in the ongoing iranisrael proxy conflict. Hezbollah arose amidst the chaos of the lebanese civil war to resist the israeli invasion of 1982. The director of the institutes stein program on counterterrorism and intelligence testified before the house regarding hezbollahs growing terrorist activity worldwide. Hezbollah s threat potential led former deputy secretary of state richard armitage to dub it the ateam of terrorism. The widespread incorporation of smart devices into everyday objects is changing how people and machines interact with each other and the world around them, often improving efficiency, convenience, and quality of life. Hezbollah changes battle tactics to fight syrian rebels the.