Q: What is the Hezbollah?
A: Hezbollah – or Party of God – was conceived in 1982 by a group of clerics after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. It was formed primarily to offer resistance to the Israeli occupations and became the region’s leading radical Islamic movement, determined to drive Israeli troops from Lebanon.
In May 2000 – due partly to the success of the party’s military arm – one of its main aims was achieved. Israel’s army was forced to end its two-decade occupation of the south.
Hezbollah now serves as an inspiration to Palestinian factions fighting to liberate occupied territory.
The party, in turn, has embraced the Palestinian cause and has said publicly that it is ready to open a second front against Israel in support of the intifada.
Inspired by the success of the Iranian Revolution, the party also dreamt of transforming Lebanon’s multi-confessional state into an Iranian-style Islamic state. Although this idea was abandoned and the party today is a well-structured political organisation with members of parliament.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk
– by Kelly Savio, staff writer
