Suchergebnisse

Hizbullah ('Party of God') is one of the Middle East's major political forces. Sheikh Naim Qassem, its Deputy Secretary-General, provides and insider's view of this Shi'ite resistance group turned political party, from its inception to the present day. Formed in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Hizbullah was instrumental in forcing Israel to withdraw its troops in 2000. During the 1990s, after many years functioning as both a guerrilla movement and a social-support provider to Lebanese victims of war, Hizbullah moved into mainstream parliamentary politics. The group's mandate

However, Qassem also includes a stylized history of Hizbullah's confrontation with Israel, with a discussion of the significance of the Shebaa Farms; a chapter explaining Hizbullah's stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including rejection of a compromise settlement and Quranic validation of certain victory; a list of the organization's positions on key issues such as political participation and coordination with other Islamic movements; and a discussion of Hizbullah's regional and international relations. Throughout, Qassem argues that Hizbullah should be considered primarily an Islamic political party and a legitimate, even moderate, social movement rather than simply a terrorist organization.