Hizbullah, Hamas, and the Arab uprisings: structures, threats, and opportunities

In: Orient: deutsche Zeitschrift für Politik, Wirtschaft und Kultur des Orients, Band 54, Heft 2, S. 37-43

Abstract

"Like previous political upheavals in the history of the Middle East, the Arab uprisings are reconstituting the domestic politics of several Arab countries and reconfiguring regional alignments. The overthrowing of authoritarian and pro-Western regimes in Tunisia and - especially - Egypt promised a favourable regional order for the two non-state actors of Hizbullah and Hamas. Both movements celebrated the change as a triumph for the 'Axis of Resistance', which unites them with Syria and Iran. But when the protests diffused to Syria, and threatened the Asad regime, the two movements faced a strategic dilemma. Whilst Hizbullah decided to back the Asad regime, Hamas supported the uprising - in effect creating a rupture in the alliance." (author's abstract)