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Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Shia Shi'a Islam

Shi'a Islam, also Shi'ite Islam, Shiite or Shi'ism is the second largest denominatio... 

 Islamist organization in Lebanon. It follows a distinct version of Islam Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

ic Shia ideology developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini

[i] [[Islam|Muslim]... 

, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Revolution was the 1979 [i] revolution [i] that transformed Iran [i] from a constitutional monarchy [i] ... 

. The organization began to take shape during the 1982 Lebanon War 1982 Lebanon War

The 1982 Lebanon War, called by Israel the Operation Peace of the Galilee, and later colloquially ... 

; on February 16 1985 Sheik Ibrahim al-Amin publicly declared the group's manifesto, which included three goals: the eradication of Western Western world

The term Western World or "the West" can have multiple meanings depending on its context.... 

 imperialism Imperialism

Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisitio... 

 in Lebanon, the transformation of Lebanon's multi-confessional state into an Islamic state, and the complete destruction of the state of Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

..

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Timeline

1985   TWA Flight 847 TWA Flight 847

TWA Flight 847 was an international Trans World Airlines [i] flight which was hijacked [i] ... 

, carrying 153 passengers on a flight from Athens Athens

Athens is the capital [i] and the largest city of Greece [i]. ... 

 to Rome Rome

Rome is the capital [i] of Italy [i] and of its region, called Latium [i]. ... 

, is hijacked by a fringe group of Hezbollah. One passenger, US Navy United States Navy

The United States Navy is the branch of the United States armed forces [i] responsible for conducting naval [i] ... 

 Petty Officer Robert Stethem Robert Stethem

Petty Officer Robert Stethem was a United States Navy [i] diver [i] and Steelworker [i] ... 

, is killed.



Encyclopedia




Hezbollah is a Shia Shi'a Islam

Shi'a Islam, also Shi'ite Islam, Shiite or Shi'ism is the second largest denominatio... 

 Islamist organization in Lebanon. It follows a distinct version of Islam Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

ic Shia ideology developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini

[i] [[Islam|Muslim]... 

, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Revolution was the 1979 [i] revolution [i] that transformed Iran [i] from a constitutional monarchy [i] ... 

.
The organization began to take shape during the 1982 Lebanon War 1982 Lebanon War

The 1982 Lebanon War, called by Israel the Operation Peace of the Galilee, and later colloquially ... 

; on February 16 1985 Sheik Ibrahim al-Amin publicly declared the group's manifesto, which included three goals: the eradication of Western Western world

The term Western World or "the West" can have multiple meanings depending on its context.... 

 imperialism Imperialism

Imperialism is a policy of extending control or authority over foreign entities as a means of acquisitio... 

 in Lebanon, the transformation of Lebanon's multi-confessional state into an Islamic state, and the complete destruction of the state of Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

..
Hezbollah has abandoned the goal of transforming Lebanon into an Islamic republic , but continues to call for the destruction of Israel. Hezbollah has received arms, soldiers, and financial support from Iran, and many other sympathizers and has "operated with Syria's blessing." Hezbollah has grown to an organization which has seats in the Lebanese government, a militia, a radio and a satellite television station Al-Manar

Al-Manar is a satellite [i] and terrestrial television [i] station based in Beirut [i] ... 

, and programs for social development. Hezbollah's use of violent means to achieve some of their goals has caused some to label it as a terrorist Terrorism

Terrorism is the systematic use, or threatened use, of violence [i] to intimidate a population or govern ... 

 organization, while others consider the violence to have been recriprocal to external aggression and a legitimate form of Jihad.

Since 1992, the current leader and Secretary-General of Hezbollah is Sheikh Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah

Sayyid [i] Hassan Nasrallah, is the current Secretary General of the Lebanese [i] Islamist [i] ... 

.

Introduction and background

Hezbollah is one of the two main organizations representing the Shia Shi'a Islam

Shi'a Islam, also Shi'ite Islam, Shiite or Shi'ism is the second largest denominatio... 

 community, Lebanon's largest religious bloc. The organization had its origins in the early 1980s 1980s

The 1980s [i] officially refers to the years from 1980 [i] to 1989 [i]. ... 

 in a milieu which included the recent Iranian Islamic Revolution Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Revolution was the 1979 [i] revolution [i] that transformed Iran [i] from a constitutional monarchy [i] ... 

, political and secular conflict in Lebanon, and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon 1982 Lebanon War

The 1982 Lebanon War, called by Israel the Operation Peace of the Galilee, and later colloquially ... 

. Ending Israel's occupation of Southern Lebanon was the main focus of the group's early activities.
Israel had become militarily involved in Lebanon in combat with the Palestine Liberation Organization Palestine Liberation Organization

The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization regarded by Arab s... 

 who moved into Southern Lebanon after being ousted from Jordan. The PLO was attacking Israel from Southern Lebanon in the lead up to the 1982 Lebanon War, and Israel had invaded and occupied Lebanon to protect its Northern border.

According to the BBC, "[f]or many years, Hezbollah was synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings. The organization is reputed to have been among the first Islamic resistance groups to use tactical suicide bombing Suicide attack

A suicide attack is an attack in which the attacker or attackers intend and expect to die .... 

 against foreign soldiers in the Middle East. Hezbollah's acts have included multiple kidnappings,

murders,

hijackings, and bombings
. The organization has been subject to assassination and abduction by Israel as well . Hezbollah's violent acts are characterized by some countries as terrorist Terrorism

Terrorism is the systematic use, or threatened use, of violence [i] to intimidate a population or govern ... 

 attacks; while others regard them as legitimate resistance and some others regard them as Jihad.

Supporters of Hezbollah justify Hezbollah's attacks against Israel for several reasons. Firstly, Hezbollah supporters cite the occupation of Lebanese land. Many of these attacks took place while Israel occupied the southern part of Lebanon Lebanon

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese democratic Republic , is a small, largely mountainous [i] country ... 

 and held it as a security zone in spite of United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 United Nations Security Council Resolution 425

On March 19 [i], 1978 [i], five days after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon [i], United Nations [i] ... 

. Although Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, and their complete withdrawal was verified by the United Nations United Nations

name = United Nations
Nations Unies
... 

, Lebanon considers the Shebaa farms Shebaa farms

The Shebaa Farms is a small area of disputed ownership located at the junction of Syria [i], Lebanon [i] ... 

, captured by Israel from Syria Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in the Middle East [i]. ... 

 in the 1967 war and considered by the UN to be disputed territory between Syria and Israel, to be Lebanese territory. Additionally, Israel holds thousands of Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails for crimes committed against Israel. Finally, Hezbollah and some of the Muslim world consider Israel an illegitimate state. For these reasons, many in the Arab world consider acts performed by the organization against Israel to be justified as acts of Jihad. Although some Arab states have condemned Hezbollah's actions saying vaguely that they harm Arab interests, "[T]hroughout most of the Arab and Muslim worlds Hezbollah is regarded as a legitimate resistance movement" with an emphasis on "calls for the destruction of Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

." Even 74 percent of Lebanese Christians viewed Hezbollah as a resistance organization.

In contrast, the United States, Israel and four other countries consider Hezbollah wholly or partly a terrorist organization. The European Union European Union

The European Union is an intergovernmental [i] and supranational [i] ... 

 does not list Hezbollah as a "terrorist organization", but does list Imad Mugniyah Imad Mugniyah

Imad Fayez Mugniyah is a senior member of the Lebanese [i] group Hezbollah [i]. ... 

, a senior member and founder of Hezbollah as a terrorist.. Additionally, the European Parliament European Parliament

The European Parliament is the parliament [i]ary body of the European Union [i] , directly elected by EU citizen [i]... 

 adopted a non-binding resolution on 10 March 2005, stating that there was clear evidence of terrorist activities by Hezbollah and urging the EU Council to brand Hezbollah a terrorist organization and EU governments to place the group on their terrorist blacklists, as the bloc did with the Palestinian Hamas group in 2003.
The Council, however, has been reluctant to do this because France, Spain, and Britain fear that such a move would further damage the prospects for Middle East peace talks.

Human rights organization Amnesty Amnesty International

Amnesty International is an international [i] non-governmental organization [i] with the stated purpose ... 

 has reported that Hezbollah committed war crimes War crime

In the context of war [i], a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law [i], for violatio ... 

 against civilians in Israel.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 called for the disarmament of militia with the Taif agreement at the end of the Lebanese civil war Lebanese Civil War

*For the civil conflict of 1958, see Lebanon crisis of 1958 [i].
... 

. Hezbollah's maintence of an active militia after this time, and after the more recently conflict with Israel is controversial. Some consider it a violation of the resolution and agreement and others consider it a necessary and justified element of resistance. The position of the Lebanese government is not completely clear. The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera Corriere della Sera

Corriere della Sera is an Italian [i] daily newspaper [i], printed in Milan [i].
... 

 recently quoted Prime Minister Saniora was saying that, "Hezbollah has created, a 'state within a state,' adding: 'The entire world must help us disarm Hezbollah. But first we need to reach a cease-fire.'. According to a Forbes article, Saniora later denied these remarks, saying he "told the paper that 'the continued presence of Israeli occupation of Lebanese lands in the Chebaa Farms region is what contributes to the presence of Hezbollah weapons. The international community must help us in an Israeli withdrawal from Chebaa Farms so we can solve the problem of Hezbollah's arms,' .
Hezbollah denounced . The former prime minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati Najib Mikati

Najib Mikati is an international businessman and a former Prime Minister [i] ... 

, stated that "in our terminology Hezbollah is not a militia, it is a resistance and we believe there is a difference between resistance and militia"
. Butros Harb, a Lebanese lawmaker, recently spoke against Hezbollah's failure to disarm saying, "We can't have an illegal army at the heart of our state, all weapons must be held by the Lebanese government," .

Flag

The red lettering at the top of the flag of Hezbollah Flag of Hezbollah

The flag [i] of Hezbollah [i], while sometimes found in different colours, is usually composed of the gr ... 

 is a verse from the Quran Qur'an

The Qur'an , is the central religious text [i] of Islam [i]. ... 

 from which its name is derivated, reading "It is only the party of God who wins." The large green lettering is the name of the group — with the first letter of "Allah" reaching up to grasp a Soviet AK-47 AK-47

The AK-47 is a gas-operated [i] assault rifle [i] designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov [i] ... 

. The red lettering at the bottom reads, "The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon."
Besides the AK-47, additional symbols on the flag include a globe, a book, a leaf, and a sword.

The flag nearly identically resembles the flag of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, often shortened to Revolutionary Guards, or called by its Persian [i] ... 

.

Ideology

Hezbollah declared its existence on February 16, 1985 in "The Hizballah Program". This document was read by spokesman Sheikh Ibrahim al-Amin at the al-Ouzai Mosque in west Beirut and simultaneously published in al-Safir As-Safir

As-Safir The Ambassador, is a leading Arabic-language daily newspaper [i] in Lebanon [i].
... 

 as "The Hizballah Program, an open letter to all the Oppressed in Lebanon and the World," and a separate pamphlet. Later, a slightly shortened version was published in the Jerusalem Quarterly. The document laid out the goals and ideology as follows:

  • The solution to Lebanon's problems is the establishment of an Islamic republic as only this type of regime can secure justice and equality for all of Lebanon's citizens.


  • The Hizbullah organization views as an important goal the fight against 'western imperialism' and its eradication from Lebanon. The group strives for complete American and French withdrawal from Lebanon, including all their institutions.


  • The conflict with Israel is viewed as a central concern. This is not only limited to the IDF presence in Lebanon. Rather, the complete destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of Islamic rule over Jerusalem is an expressed goal.


Shi'a Islamism

Hezbollah's original 1985 manifesto reads:
We are the sons of the ummah  - the party of God the vanguard of which was made victorious by God in Iran Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Revolution was the 1979 [i] revolution [i] that transformed Iran [i] from a constitutional monarchy [i] ... 

. There the vanguard succeeded to lay down the bases of a Muslim state which plays a central role in the world. We obey the orders of one leader, wise and just, that of our tutor and faqih who fulfills all the necessary conditions: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini

[i] [[Islam|Muslim]... 

....We are an umma linked to the Muslims of the whole world by the solid doctrinal and religious connection of Islam, whose message God wanted to be fulfilled by the Seal of the Prophets, i.e., Muhammad Muhammad

Muhammad 570 [i]-632 [i] CE, was an Arab [i] religious and political leader and the historical founde ... 

. Our behavior is dictated to us by legal principles laid down by the light of an overall political conception defined by the leading jurist....As for our culture, it is based on the Holy Koran Qur'an

The Qur'an , is the central religious text [i] of Islam [i]. ... 

, the Sunna and the legal rulings of the faqih who is our source of imitation.


Hezbollah was largely formed with the aid of the Ayatollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini

[i] [[Islam|Muslim]... 

's followers in the early eighties in order to spread Islamic revolution Iranian Revolution

The Iranian Revolution was the 1979 [i] revolution [i] that transformed Iran [i] from a constitutional monarchy [i] ... 

. and follows a distinct version of Islam Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

ic Shi'a Shi'a Islam

Shi'a Islam, also Shi'ite Islam, Shiite or Shi'ism is the second largest denominatio... 

 ideology developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Ruhollah Khomeini

[i] [[Islam|Muslim]... 

, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Iran


Throughout history, Iran has been of great geostrategic [i] importance because of its centr ... 

. the elimination of the state of Israel has been Hezbollah's primary goal. Secretary-General Nasrallah’s has stated that "Israel is an illegal usurper entity, which is based on falsehood, massacres, and illusions," and considers that the elimination of Israel will bring peace in the middle east: "There is no solution to the conflict in this region except with the disappearance of Israel." In an interview with the Washington Post The Washington Post

The Washington Post is the largest newspaper [i] in Washington, D.C. [i], the capital of the United States [i] ... 

, Nasrallah said "I am against any reconciliation with Israel. I do not even recognize the presence of a state that is called 'Israel.' I consider its presence both unjust and unlawful. That is why if Lebanon concludes a peace agreement with Israel and brings that accord to the Parliament our deputies will reject it; Hezbollah refuses any conciliation with Israel in principle."

In a 1999 interview, Nasrallah outlined the group’s three "minimal demand[s]: an [Israeli] withdrawal from South Lebanon Southern Lebanon

Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon [i] comprising the South Governorate [i] and the Nabatiye Governorate [i] ... 

 and the Western Bqa’ Valley, a withdrawal from the Golan Golan Heights

The Golan Heights or Golan, formerly also known as the Syrian Heights, , is a plateau on the bord... 

, and the return of the Palestinian refugees.”

Israel's occupation of the Shebaa Farms Shebaa farms

The Shebaa Farms is a small area of disputed ownership located at the junction of Syria [i], Lebanon [i] ... 

, along with the presence of Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails, is often used as a pretext and stated as justification for the organization's continued hostilities against Israel even after Israel's verified withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. Hezbollah's spokesperson Hassan Ezzedin, however, had this to said that
"the Hezbollah campaign to rid Shebaa of Israeli troops is a pretext for something larger. 'If they go from Shebaa, we will not stop fighting them," he told [the New Yorker]. 'Our goal is to liberate the 1948 borders of Palestine, ... The Jews who survive this war of liberation can go back to Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

 or wherever they came from.' He added, however, that the Jews who lived in Palestine before 1948 will be 'allowed to live as a minority and they will be cared for by the Muslim majority.'"


In 2004, according to the BBC, Hezbollah, "said publicly that it is ready to open a second front against Israel in support of the intifada".

In recent interviews, Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah

Sayyid [i] Hassan Nasrallah, is the current Secretary General of the Lebanese [i] Islamist [i] ... 

 has answered questions concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state Palestinian state

The Palestinian state, or State of Palestine [i]
... 

 established alongside an Israeli state stating "that he would not sabotage what is finally a 'Palestinian matter.' But until such a settlement is reached, he will, he said, continue to encourage Palestinian suicide bombers.". In the same interview, Nasrallah stated that "at the end of the road no one can go to war on behalf of the Palestinians, even if that one is not in agreement with what the Palestinians agreed on," adding, "Of course, it would bother us that Jerusalem Jerusalem

Jerusalem is Israel [i]'s capital [i] and largest city, with a population of 724,000 contained in 123 ... 

 goes to Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

 ... [but] let it happen. I would not say O.K. I would say nothing."

Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Shiite scholar and assistant professor at the Lebanese American University, however, argues that Hezbollah is not Anti-Zionist Anti-Zionism

Anti-Zionism is a term used to describe several different political [i] and religious [i] points of view ... 

, but actually Anti-Jewish Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism is hostility toward or prejudice [i] against Jew [i]s as a religious, ethnic, or racial g ... 

. She quotes Hassan Nasrallah as saying, "If we searched the entire world for a person more cowardly, despicable, weak and feeble in psyche, mind, ideology and religion, we would not find anyone like the Jew. Notice, I do not say the Israeli". Regarding the official public stance of the organization as a whole, she argues that while Hezbollah, "tries to mask its anti-Judaism for public-relations reasons..a study of its language, spoken and written, reveals an underlying truth." In her book, Hezbollah: Politics & Religion, she dissects the anti-Jewish roots of Hezbollah ideology, arguing that Hezbollah "believes that Jews, by the nature of Judaism, possess fatal character flaws." Saad-Ghorayeb also argues that "Hezbollah's Koranic reading of Jewish history has led its leaders to believe that Jewish theology is evil."

In 2004 the Hezbollah-owned television station Al-Manar Al-Manar

Al-Manar is a satellite [i] and terrestrial television [i] station based in Beirut [i] ... 

 was banned in France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

 on the grounds that it was inciting racial hatred. The court cited a 23 November broadcast in which a speaker accused Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

 of deliberately disseminating AIDS AIDS

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a collection of symptoms and infections [i] ... 

 in Arab nations. No other European country has followed France's lead.

Position on use of armed strength to achieve aims

Hezbollah's 1985 founding Manifesto reads:
No one can imagine the importance of our military potential as our military apparatus is not separate from our overall social fabric. Each of us is a fighting soldier. And when it becomes necessary to carry out the Holy War, each of us takes up his assignment in the fight in accordance with the injunctions of the Law, and that in the framework of the mission carried out under the tutelage of the Commanding Jurist. ...This is why whatever touches or strikes the Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines and elsewhere reverberates throughout the whole Muslim umma of which we are an integral part. .
According to Islamic law, all Muslims should defend Islamic lands and fight non-Muslims to withdrow them from these lands, which is called Defensive Jihad and there isn't any differences between Sunnis and Shiites in this case..

The Qur'an states, "Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not do aggression, for Allah loves not the aggressors. Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers. But if they desist, then lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrongdoers."

Women’s rights

In keeping with Lebanon’s generally secular and egalitarian culture, Hezbollah recognizes and promotes women’s rights  somewhat more strongly than do other groups associated with Islamic jihad, or for that matter than does Iran Iran


Throughout history, Iran has been of great geostrategic [i] importance because of its centr ... 

, Hezbollah’s self-proclaimed "model and example." Another version states that it was formed by supporters of Sheikh Ragheb Harb, a leader of the southern Shiite resistance killed by Israel in 1984. Regardless of when the name came into official use, a number of Shi’a groups were slowly assimilated into the organization, such as Islamic Jihad, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth and the Revolutionary Justice Organization. These designations are considered to be synonymous with Hezbollah by the US, Israel in the Lebanese government of July 2005.

Mohamed Fneish was appointed Energy and Water Minister in the cabinet and has been quoted as saying "We are a political force that took part in the polls under the banner of defending the resistance and protecting Lebanon and got among the highest level of popular backing ... Hezbollah’s resistance does not in any way contradict its political role. If joining the government and parliament is a national duty, then so is defending the country.”

Hezbollah's political success is regarded as a model for other Islamic parties in the Middle East Middle East

The Middle East is a subcontinent [i] for the historical [i] and cultural [i] ... 

 like Hamas Hamas

Hamas is a Palestinian [i] Sunni [i] Islamist [i] organization that current ... 

 and United Iraqi Alliance; its actions are thought to provide strong clues as to how these other emerging Islamist forces might behave.

Military activities

Hezbollah has a military branch known as Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya , and is the possible sponsor of a number of lesser-known militant organizations, some of which may be little more than fronts for Hezbollah itself. These organizations include the Organization of the Oppressed, the Revolutionary Justice Organization, the Organization of Right Against Wrong, and Followers of the Prophet Muhammad.
As Haaretz reports Hezbollah is not a small guerrilla organization. It is a trained, skilled, well-organized, highly motivated infantry that is equipped with the cream of the crop of modern weaponry from the arsenals of Syria Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in the Middle East [i]. ... 

, Iran Iran


Throughout history, Iran has been of great geostrategic [i] importance because of its centr ... 

, Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 and China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, and which is very familiar with the territory on which it is fighting.

Hezbollah military is considered to be the most capable non-state armed group in the Middle East Middle East

The Middle East is a subcontinent [i] for the historical [i] and cultural [i] ... 

. According to Jane's Information Group:
"Islamic Resistance guerrillas are reckoned to be amongst the most dedicated, motivated and highly trained of their kind. Any Hezbollah member receiving military training is likely to do so at the hands of IRGC [the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, often shortened to Revolutionary Guards, or called by its Persian [i] ... 

], either in southern Lebanon or in camps in Iran. The increasingly sophisticated methods used by IRGC members indicates that they are trained using Israeli and US military manuals; the emphasis of this training is on the tactics of attrition, mobility, intelligence gathering and night-time manoeuvres."


Hezbollah's strength was enhanced by the dispatching of one thousand to fifteen hundred members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, often shortened to Revolutionary Guards, or called by its Persian [i] ... 

 and the financial backing of Iran. It became the main politico-military force among the Shi'a community in Lebanon and the main arm of what became known later as the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon.

Intelligence capabilities

According to Israeli and American sources, Hezbollah has three units charged with intelligence operations.

One unit is responsible for intelligence activities against Israel, primarily by recruiting and running agents in order to gather information about Israeli military bases and other potential targets. It is claimed that this unit also gathers information on behalf of Iran, and is also known to conduct SIGINT operations against IDF communications.

According to Michael Eisenstadt, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Hezbollah also has a unit called Unit 1800 which aids Palestinians Palestinian people

Palestinians are people with family origins mainly in Palestine [i]. ... 

 engaged in their operations, by providing funding, direction, weapons, and bomb-building instructions.

Stance on what is a legitimate military target


Hezbollah has not been directly involved in a suicide bombing since 1999 and has publicly denounced some of these attacks. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Hezbollah condemned Al Qaeda for targeting the civilian World Trade Center World Trade Center

The World Trade Center in New York City [i] was a complex of seven buildings, mostly designed by Japane ... 

, but remained silent on the attack on the Pentagon Pentagon

In geometry [i], a pentagon is any five-sided polygon [i].
... 

, neither favoring nor opposing the act.
Hezbollah also denounced the Armed Islamic Group massacres List of Algerian massacres of the 1990s

During the bloody Algerian Civil War [i] of the 1990s [i], a variety of massacres occurred. ... 

 in Algeria Algeria

Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria is a country in north Africa [i],... 

, Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya attacks on tourists in Egypt Egypt

[i] country in [[North Africa]... 

,
and the murder of Nick Berg Nick Berg

Nicholas Evan Berg was an American [i] businessman [i] seeking telecommunication [i]s work ... 

.
Nasrallah, in a 2006 interview with the Washington Post, condemned violence against American civilians: “[I]f there are American tourists, or intellectuals, doctors, or professors who have nothing to do with this war, they are innocent, even though they are Americans, and it is forbidden. It is not acceptable to harm them.” making no distinction between killing soldiers or murdering women and children.

Journalist Paul Martin, writing in The Washington Times The Washington Times

The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet [i] newspaper [i] published in Washington, D.C. [i], United States [i] ... 

, quoted Hassan Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah

Sayyid [i] Hassan Nasrallah, is the current Secretary General of the Lebanese [i] Islamist [i] ... 

 as saying, "I encourage Palestinians to take suicide bombings worldwide. Don't be shy about it." However the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation , a Canadian [i] crown corporation [i], is the country's na ... 

 reported that it was unable to find any record of the speech and suggested that it had been fabricated.

In addition, the organization's television station Al-Manar Al-Manar

Al-Manar is a satellite [i] and terrestrial television [i] station based in Beirut [i] ... 

 airs programming designed to inspire suicide attacks in Gaza Gaza

Gaza is the largest city within the Gaza Strip [i], part of the Palestinian territories [i].... 

, the West Bank West Bank

[i] in the [[Middle East]... 

 and Iraq Iraq

The Republic of Iraq, is a Middle East [i]ern country [i] in southwestern Asia [i] encomp ... 

.

Media operations

Hezbollah operates a satellite television station from Lebanon Lebanon

Lebanon, officially the Lebanese democratic Republic , is a small, largely mountainous [i] country ... 

, Al-Manar Al-Manar

Al-Manar is a satellite [i] and terrestrial television [i] station based in Beirut [i] ... 

TV as well as a radio station, al-Nour Al-Nour

Al-Nour is allegedly an Hezbollah [i] radio station based in Beirut [i], Lebanon [i].
... 

. Kabdat Alla is the monthly magazine of Hezbollah's paramilitary wing.

Al Manar Al-Manar

Al-Manar is a satellite [i] and terrestrial television [i] station based in Beirut [i] ... 

 broadcasts news in Arabic, English, French and Hebrew and is widely watched both in Lebanon and in other Arab countries. Its transmission in France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

  is controversial. It has been accused of promoting religious and racial hatred , which is a criminal offense in France. On December 13, 2004, the French Conseil d'État Conseil d'État

In France [i], the Conseil d'tat is an organ of the French national government. ... 

, acting on the request of the French TV authorities, issued an injunction to Eutelsat Eutelsat

Eutelsat S.A. commercialises capacity on 24 satellites [i]. ... 

 to cease the broadcasting of Al Manar in France.

The Hezbollah Central Internet Bureau in 2003 released a titled Special Force Special Force

Special Force is a first-person shooter [i] military video game, published by the Islam [i]ic organ ... 

, intended to simulate Arab-Israeli conflicts from an Arab perspective.

Materials aimed at children are an aspect of Hezbollah's media operations.

Hezbollah attempts to maintain websites to run recruitment videos and post bank account numbers where supporters can donate funds. These websites are also considered "an inseparable part of the psychological war" and are tracked by other groups with a view to their closure.

Social services


Hezbollah also organizes extensive social development programs, running hospitals, news services, and educational facilities. Its Reconstruction Campaign is responsible for numerous economic and infrastructure development projects in Lebanon.
In March of 2006 an IRIN news report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted:
"Hezbollah not only has armed and political wings - it also boasts an extensive social development programme. The group currently operates at least four hospitals, 12 clinics, 12 schools and two agricultural centres that provide farmers with technical assistance and training. It also has an environmental department and an extensive social assistance programme. Medical care is also cheaper than in most of the country's private hospitals and free for Hezbollah members.". Also Hezbollah's social service agencies provide health care and schooling for poor farmers.

According to CNN: "Hezbollah did everything that a government should do, from collecting the garbage to running hospitals and repairing schools."
In July 2006, during the war with Israel, when there was no running water in Beirut Beirut

Beirut is the capital [i], largest city [i], and chief seaport [i] of Lebanon [i]. ... 

, Hezbollah was arranging supplies around the city. "People here [in South Beirut] see Hezbollah as a political movement and a social service provider as much as it is a militia, in this traditionally poor and dispossessed Shiite community."
The Washington Post The Washington Post

The Washington Post is the largest newspaper [i] in Washington, D.C. [i], the capital of the United States [i] ... 

 reported that Hezbollah had set up a Martyr's Institute, which guarantees to provide for the living and education expenses for the families of fighters who die in battle.

Social services has a central role in the party's programs. In 1996’s “The Electoral Program of Hizbullah,” the organization declared its wish to improve the educational and health system.
Hezbollah claims to have increased its popularity through a non-sectarian approach: "We presented a new example, and this increased our popularity . . . We say that our mayors should serve the whole of the people in their towns, rather than serving just the party" said spokesman Abu Zeinab. The US estimates that Iran was giving Hezbollah about $60-$100 million per year in financial assistance but that assistance declined as other funding was secured, primarily from South America South America

South America is a continent [i] situated in the western hemisphere [i] and, mostly, ... 

.

Some estimates of Iran's aid are as high as $200-million annually.

Mohammed Raad, at one time leader of Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, said money from Iran came only through private charities to be used for health care, education and the support of war widows. Hezbollah's main sources of income, he said, are the party's investment portfolios and wealthy Shiites.

Mahmoud Ali Suleiman, the Hezbollah operative captured in August 2006 by the IDF for his role in the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12, admitted during his interrogation that he received weapons-training and religious instruction in Iran. He told his interrogators that he rode in a civilian car to Damascus, from where he flew to Iran. Other than the Russian-made Katyusha, Hezbollah's reported artillery cache is entirely Iranian-made.

On August 4, 2006, Jane's Defense Weekly Jane's Defence Weekly

Jane's Defence Weekly is a weekly magazine [i] reporting on military [i] and corporate [i]... 

, a defense industry magazine, reported that Hezbollah asked Iran for "a constant supply of weapons to support its operations against Israel" in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, known in Lebanon as the July War and in Israel as the Second ... 

. The report cited Western diplomatic sources as saying that Iranian authorities promised Hezbollah a steady supply of weapons `"for the next stage of the confrontation".

Iran Iran


Throughout history, Iran has been of great geostrategic [i] importance because of its centr ... 

 long denied supplying Hezbollah with weapons, despite persistent reports to the contrary. However, "Mohtashami Pur, a one-time ambassador to Lebanon who currently holds the title of secretary-general of the 'Intifada conference,' told an Iranian newspaper that Iran transferred the missiles to the Shi'ite militia, adding that the organization has his country's blessing to use the weapons in defense of Lebanon". The Israel Defence Forces regard Hezbollah as virtually an arm of the Iranian armed forces; a senior Israeli defence official told Jane's Defence Weekly Jane's Defence Weekly

Jane's Defence Weekly is a weekly magazine [i] reporting on military [i] and corporate [i]... 

that "we should consider that what we are facing in Lebanon is not a militia but rather a special forces brigade of the Iranian Army."

Similar claims and denials regarding supply of weapons have been made with respect to Syria Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in the Middle East [i]. ... 

  which may, in some cases, be extorted.

Money is also received from supporters abroad. Mohammed Hammoud was convicted in the United States for "violating a ban on material support of groups designated as terrorist organizations". The amount was USD 3,500, which Hammoud claimed was to "support Hezbollah's efforts to distribute books at schools and improve public water systems."

Foreign relations


Position of the UN

UN Security Council Resolution 1559, calls for "the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militia Militia

A militia is a group of citizen [i]s organized to provide paramilitary [i] service. ... 

", echoing the Taif Agreement that ended the Lebanese Civil War Lebanese Civil War

*For the civil conflict of 1958, see Lebanon crisis of 1958 [i].
... 

, but does not explicitly include Hezbollah although Kofi Annan Kofi Annan

Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghana [i]ian diplomat [i] and the seventh and current Secretary-General [i] ... 

 has advanced this interpretation. The Lebanese Government Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem has said that its forces might become a "reservist army" within the Lebanese army, though this suggestion is not universally supported within the organisation.

The UN’s Deputy Secretary-General, Mark Malloch Brown, contests characterisations of the Lebanese militia as a terrorist organisation in the mould of al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda or Al-Qaida is an armed Sunni [i] lslamist [i] organization with th... 

.
While acknowledging that “Hezbollah employs terrorist tactics,” he says that it is unhelpful to call it a terrorist organization; the United States and the international community, in his view, would do well to respect it as a legitimate political party. Brown also criticized Hizbullah, "It is making no effort to hit military targets; it's just a broadside against civilian targets."

Non-Lebanese alliances


Iran

In a July 20, 2006 article, the widely respected Iran and Middle East scholar, Fred Halliday, wrote that Sheikh Naim Qassem, deputy leader of Hezbollah under Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, told him Hezbollah follows Iran's leadership as a matter of principle:

"On the matter of political relations with Iran, the sheikh was absolutely clear. Hizbollah regards the Iranian supreme leader, in this case Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Ali Khamenei

yatollh [i] born April 18 [i], 1939 [i], is the current Supreme Leader [i] o ... 

, as its ultimate authority; all major political decisions regarding Hizbollah are referred to – when not actually taken in – Iran. He gave the example of the decision taken in 1992 to enter Lebanese national politics: Hizbollah set up a commission, which prepared a report, with various options; this report was sent to Iran; it was Ayatollah Khamenei himself who took the final decision, in favour of participation."

Syria
It is widely believed that Hafez al-Assad, who was president of Syria from 1971 to 2000, and Hezbollah were closely linked; this did not significantly affect his relations with the rest of the world. Bashar al-Assad Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad is the President [i] of the Syrian Arab Republic [i], ... 

, his son and successor, has been subjected to sanctions by the U.S. due to his continued support for Hezbollah, which it views as a terrorist organization.

In an interview on Al-Arabiya TV in Dubai, former Hezbollah Secretary-General Subhi Al-Tufeili said Hezbollah definitely fosters its relations with the Syrians, but Hezbollah's real leadership is 'the rule of the jurisprudence'.
Hamas and Palestinian national movement
According to CRS report for U.S. Congress United States Congress

The United States Congress is the legislature [i] of the United States federal government [i]. ... 

:
"Although Hezbollah and Hamas Hamas

Hamas is a Palestinian [i] Sunni [i] Islamist [i] organization that current ... 

 are not organizationally linked, Hezbollah provides military training as well as financial and moral support to the Palestinian group and has acted in some ways as a mentor or role model for Hamas, which has sought to emulate the Lebanese group’s political and media success. Hamas’s kidnaping of the Israeli soldier 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict

conflict=2006 Israel-Gaza conflict
... 

 follows a different Hezbollah example. Moreover, two groups share the goal of driving Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

 from occipied territories and ultimately eliminating it; both maintain close ties with Iran."


According to an Israeli military source, Hezbollah assists Hamas with bomb production: "They know how to make them more concentrated, what kind of screw to use, how to pack more explosives into less space."

Nasrallah has declared his support for the ongoing al-Aqsa intifada Al-Aqsa Intifada

The al-Aqsa Intifada is the wave of violence that began in September 2000 [i] between Palestinian [i] ... 

.

Alleged relationships to non-Lebanese Islamist movements


al-Qaeda
There is no concrete evidence of Hezbollah contact or cooperation with al-Qaida. United States intelligence officials speculate there has been contact between Hezbollah and low-level al-Qaeda figures who fled Afghanistan Afghanistan

Afghanistan ; Persian [i]: ?????? ?????? ?????????, Pashto [i]:' ... 

 for Lebanon. One example of evidence of the alliance was in the public testimony "by Ali Mohamed, a former U.S. Green Beret who pleaded guilty to conspiring with bin Laden to bomb U.S. embassies in Africa. ... Hezbollah, he testified, provided explosives training to al Qaeda."Priest, Dana and Douglas Farah. Washington Post The Washington Post

The Washington Post is the largest newspaper [i] in Washington, D.C. [i], the capital of the United States [i] ... 

. 30 June 2002. 18 September 2006.
According to Middle East Quarterly and the Washington Post The Washington Post

The Washington Post is the largest newspaper [i] in Washington, D.C. [i], the capital of the United States [i] ... 

, "Al Qaeda members received advice and training from Hezbollah." In a 2002 article, the Washington Post claimed:
"The new cooperation ... includes coordination on explosives and tactics training, money laundering, weapons smuggling and acquiring forged documents, according to knowledgeable sources. This new alliance, even if informal, has greatly concerned U.S. officials in Washington and intelligence operatives abroad who believe the assets and organization of Hezbollah's formidable militant wing will enable a hobbled al Qaeda network to increase its ability to launch attacks against American targets."
Some American newspapers have suggested a broader alliance between Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, often shortened to Revolutionary Guards, or called by its Persian [i] ... 

.

On the other hand, others point out that al-Qaeda’s Sunni Wahhabist ideology is fundamentally incompatible with Hezbollah’s relatively liberal brand of Shia Islam; in fact, some Wahhabi leaders consider Hezbollah to be apostate Apostasy

Apostasy is a term generally employed to describe the formal renunciation of one's religion [i], especi ... 

. Al-Qaeda has demonstrated its distaste for Shi’as in suicide bombings and attacks on Shi’a civilian targets in Iraq. Hezbollah denies any ties to al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda or Al-Qaida is an armed Sunni [i] lslamist [i] organization with th... 

 and al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq [i], a militant [i] group in Iraq [i] . ... 

 has issued an audio recording in which he called Hezbollah an "enemy of Sunnis" and a "shield" for Israel, for protecting Israel by preventing Palestinian attacks from Lebanon. Saint Petersburg Times and ABC News and MSNBC report that there exists no evidence of a connection between Hezbollah and al-Qaeda. Nevertheless, the Washington Post claimed:
"There is little dispute that al Qaeda and Hezbollah operatives work together, but some analysts reject the notion that the two groups have buried their differences, which have long been sharp because they derive their support from the two competing branches of Islam."


Nasrallah denies links to al-Qaeda, present or past, stating in a 2002 interview that the two organizations work in different areas and face different enemies. Hezbollah’s aim has been the "confrontation of the Zionist plan," said Nasrallah, while bin Laden has focused on Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, and Chechnya. "So we are talking about two different areas and battles facing two completely different enemies. This was the reason why there wasn’t any contact."

As part of a surge of intersectarian support for Lebanon’s Muslims during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, known in Lebanon as the July War and in Israel as the Second ... 

, Ayman al-Zawahiri Ayman al-Zawahiri

Ayman al-Zawahiri is a prominent member of the al-Qaeda [i] group, a physician [i], author [i], poet [i] ... 

, al-Qaeda’s deputy leader, called for Muslims to rise up in a holy war against Zionists and join the fighting in Lebanon. But Mohammed Fneish, Lebanon’s Energy Minister, one of the two Hezbollah members in government, responded "Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah are two different groups. Al-Qaeda believes in killing innocents. Hezbollah is involved in a legitimate resistance [against Israel]."
al-Mahdi
Hezbollah claims that it forbids its fighters entry into Iraq for any reason, and that no Hezbollah units or individual fighters have entered Iraq to support any Iraqi faction fighting the United States. However, on April 2, 2004, Muqtada al-Sadr Muqtada al-Sadr

Muqtada al-Sadr is the fourth son of the famous Iraq [i]i Shia [i] cleric, Grand Ayatollah [i] ... 

 announced his intention to form chapters of Hezbollah and Hamas in Iraq.
Other Islamist groups
There have been American claims that Hezbollah has engaged in joint operations with the Sunni Palestinian militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement

Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement is a militant Palestinian group that is designated as a terrorist [i] ... 

.

Outside views of Hezbollah


Governments disagree on Hezbollah’s status as a legitimate political entity, a terrorist organization, or both.

Throughout most of the Arab Arab world

The Arab world consists of twenty-two countries stretching from Mauritania [i] in the west to Oman [i] i... 

 and Muslim world Muslim world

The Muslim world is a term given to the world-wide community of those who adhere to the religion of Islam [i] ... 

s, Hezbollah is highly regarded as a legitimate resistance movement. The Lebanese government confirmed it as a legitimate resistance against occupation. Even 74 percent of Lebanese Christians viewed Hezbollah as a resistance organization.
The United States, Israel and four other countries consider Hezbollah wholly or partly a terrorist organization.
The European Union European Union

The European Union is an intergovernmental [i] and supranational [i] ... 

 does not list Hezbollah as a "terrorist organization" but does list Imad Mugniyah Imad Mugniyah

Imad Fayez Mugniyah is a senior member of the Lebanese [i] group Hezbollah [i]. ... 

, Hezbollah's senior Intelligence officer and one of its founders as a terrorist, on its list of wanted terrorists.
In a non-binding resolution adopted by the European Parliament European Parliament

The European Parliament is the parliament [i]ary body of the European Union [i] , directly elected by EU citizen [i]... 

 on 10 March 2005, the MEPs urged the EU Council to brand Hezbollah a terrorist organization. However, the Council has so far been reluctant to do so, as France, Spain, and Britain fear that such a move would further damage the prospects for Middle East peace talks.
European legislators branded the radical Lebanese Hezbollah group a terrorist organization and urged EU governments to place the group on their terrorist blacklists, as the bloc did with the Palestinian Hamas group in 2003.
EU European Union

The European Union is an intergovernmental [i] and supranational [i] ... 

 Parliament considers that clear evidence exists of terrorist activities by Hezbollah. The EU Council should take all necessary steps to curtail them," legislators said in a non-binding resolution adopted during a session in Strasburg, France.

In a 2004 article, Dennis Ross, the Middle East envoy under the first Bush and Clinton administrations, was cited as saying that Hezbollah's resistance to the Israeli occupation, unlike its past activities aimed at Western targets, is not terrorism and that the US included Hezbollah on its list of terrorist groups for Hezbollah's past activities, not for its ongoing resistance to Israel.

Public opinion

While al-Qaeda is known throughout the Arab world as a terrorist outfit, Hezbollah is just as widely seen as a legitimate resistance organization that has defended its land against the Israeli occupying force, and consistently stood up to the Israeli army.

According to a poll released by the "Beirut Center for Research and Information" on 26 July during 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, known in Lebanon as the July War and in Israel as the Second ... 

, 87 percent of Lebanese support Hezbollah's fight with Israel, a rise of 29 percent on a similar poll conducted in February. More striking, however, is the level of support for Hezbollah's resistance from non-Shiite communities. Eighty percent of Christians polled supported Hezbollah along with 80 percent of Druze Druze

The Druze are a distinct religious community based mostly in the Middle East [i] who are an offshoot of ... 

 and 89 percent of Sunnis., while according to another poll, from July 2005, 74 percent of Christian Lebanese viewed Hezbollah as a resistance organization.

In a poll of Lebanese adults taken in 2004, 6% of respondents gave unqualified support to the statement "Hezbollah should be disarmed". 41% reported unqualified disagreement.

A poll of Palestinians taken in the Gaza Strip indicated that 79.6% had "a very good view" of Hezbollah.

Polls of Jordanian adults in December, 2005 and June, 2006, showed that 63.9% and 63.3%, respectively, considered Hezbollah to be a legitimate resistance organization. In the December, 2005, poll only 6% of Jordanian adults considered Hezbollah to be terrorist.

ABC News ABC News

ABC News is a division of ABC [i] television and radio networks, owned by ... 

/Washington Post The Washington Post

The Washington Post is the largest newspaper [i] in Washington, D.C. [i], the capital of the United States [i] ... 

 Poll. Aug. 3-6, 2006. N=1,002 adults in the US. MoE ± 3 . 46% said Israel and Hezbollah are both responsible for the conflict in Lebanon, 39% said Hezbollah is most to blame, while only 7% said Israel is. 6% were unsure, and 1% felt otherwise. The same poll found that 58% blamed Hezbollah for the civilian casualties in Lebanon for locating its fighters and rocket launchers in civilian areas, while 21% blame Israel for bombing Hezbollah targets those areas. 10% said both, 9% were unsure, and 2% felt neither were to blame.

A worldwide poll conducted by Bill O'Reilly and sponsored by MSN MSN

MSN is a collection of Internet [i] services provided by Microsoft. ... 

Direct.com in August 2006 found that of the over 50,000 voters , 96% say that Israel should not negotiate with Hezbollah or their demands. Only 4 percent said yes.

Designation as a terrorist organization

List of entities officially designating Hezbollah as "terrorist"
EntityType of DesignationReference
The organization Hezbollah in full 
The organization Hezbollah in full 
The organization Hezbollah in full 
The Hezbollah External Security Organization 
The organization Hezbollah in full 
The Hezbollah External Security Organization 


The European Union European Union

The European Union is an intergovernmental [i] and supranational [i] ... 

 does not list Hezbollah, or any group within it, a "terrorist" organization,
but the European Parliament European Parliament

The European Parliament is the parliament [i]ary body of the European Union [i] , directly elected by EU citizen [i]... 

 passed a resolution recognizing "clear evidence" of "terrorist activities by Hezbollah".
The EU Council designates Imad Mugniyah Imad Mugniyah

Imad Fayez Mugniyah is a senior member of the Lebanese [i] group Hezbollah [i]. ... 

 as a terrorist, claiming he is Hezbollah's "Senior Intelligence Officer".

In the midst of the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, Russia’s government declined to include Hezbollah in a newly-released list of terrorist organizations, saying that they only list organizations which represent "the greatest threat to the security of [Russia]". This was a notable omission given Russia’s membership with the US, EU, and UN in the Middle East Quartet. Prior to the release of the list, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov Sergei Ivanov

Sergei Borisovich Ivanov is the Defense Minister [i] of the Russian Federation [i].
... 

 called "on Hezbollah to stop resorting to any terrorist methods including attacking neighboring states."

The Quartet’s fourth member, the United Nations, does not maintain such a list.

Non Governmental Organizations

On September 14, 2006, Amnesty International Amnesty International

Amnesty International is an international [i] non-governmental organization [i] with the stated purpose ... 

 released a report accusing Hezbollah of war crimes War crime

In the context of war [i], a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law [i], for violatio ... 

 during the 2006 conflict with Israel Israel

Israel , officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia [i] on the so ... 

.

See also

  • Israel-Lebanon conflict Israel-Lebanon conflict

    Israel-Lebanon conflict describes a series of related military clashes involving Israel [i], Lebanon [i] ... 

  • 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict

    The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, known in Lebanon as the July War and in Israel as the Second ... 

  • History of Lebanon History of Lebanon

    The history of Lebanon is almost as old as the earliest evidence of mankind.... 

  • Foreign relations of Lebanon Foreign relations of Lebanon

    The foreign policy of Lebanon [i] reflects its geographic location, the composition of its population, and its ... 

  • Politics of Lebanon Politics of Lebanon

    Lebanon [i] has a form of parliamentary democracy referred to as confessionalism [i], in whic ... 

  • List of the UN resolutions concerning Israel
  • Sheik Hassan Nasrallah Hassan Nasrallah

    Sayyid [i] Hassan Nasrallah, is the current Secretary General of the Lebanese [i] Islamist [i] ...