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Hezbollah
Image:Flag of Hezbollah.svg (In detail)
Leader	Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
Founded	1985
Religion	Shi'a Islam
Political ideology	Islamism
Nationality	Lebanese
Website	Varies. See List of official sites.

For other uses, see Hezbollah (disambiguation).

Hezbollah<ref>Other transliterations include Hizbullah, Hizbollah, Hezballah, Hizballah, Hisbollah, and Hizb Allah.</ref> (Arabic: حزب الله‎ ḥizbu'llāh,<ref>In English the stress is most commonly placed on the final syllable, as suggested in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (this is in accord with the Farsi pronunciation, of Iran); in the Arabic of Hezbollah's theatre of operations it is most commonly placed on the second syllable. Hizb (party) is the Modern Standard Arabic pronunciation, and hezb is closer to Persian (Farsi) and Lebanese dialect. The name is derived from a Qur’anic ayat (verse) referring to those who belong to and follow the "party of God" [1].</ref> meaning "party of God") is a Shi'a Islamist militant and political organization based in Lebanon. It follows a distinct version of Islamic Shia ideology developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.<ref name="mfaGOV960411">

   Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1996-04-11). Hizbullah. Retrieved on 2006-08-17.</ref><ref name="hzb-letter">The Hizballah Program: An Open Letter. Institute for Counterterrorism (1985-02-16). Retrieved on 2006-10-25. The Jerusalem Quarterly, number Forty-Eight, Fall 1988, Early Hezbollah manifesto, in which it formally declares its existence</ref>

Hezbollah began to take shape during the 1982 Lebanon War; on February 16, 1985 Sheik Ibrahim al-Amin publicly declared the group's manifesto, which included three goals: the eradication of Western imperialism in Lebanon, the transformation of Lebanon's multi-confessional state into an Islamic state, and the complete destruction of the state of Israel.<ref>The Hizballah Program: An Open Letter [to the Downtrodden in Lebanon and the World]. Institute for Counterterrorism (1985-02-16). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref><ref>

  Preatoni, Robert (2006-08-01). The war Israel cannot win. Zone-H.

</ref> Although Hezbollah still believes in an Islamic republic like Iran, it finds it for now an inaccessibile goal in Lebanon.<ref>[2]</ref> As a result, Nasrallah is trying to tone down the stark Shiite identity of his movement and replace it with Lebaneseness<ref>[3]</ref> for its last remaining goal; its commitment to the complete destruction of Israel. Hezbollah receives arms, training, and financial support from Iran, and from many other Arab sympathizers<ref>JEANNINE AVERSA (28 August 2006). Iran 'central banker of terror'. Associated Press.</ref> and has "operated with Syria's blessing."<ref name="bbc-hi-me-1908671">Who are Hezbollah?. BBC News (2002-04-04). Retrieved on 2006-08-11.</ref><ref name="CFR.org">Hezbollah (a.k.a. Hizbollah, Hizbu'llah). Council on Foreign Relations (2002-07-17). Retrieved on 2006-10-06.</ref> Hezbollah, which started only with a militia, has grown to an organization which has seats in the Lebanese government, a radio and a satellite television station, and programs for social development.<ref name="deeb-hzb-a-primer">

   Deeb, Lara (2006-07-31). Hizballah: A Primer. Middle East Report. Retrieved on 2006-07-31.

</ref>

Since 1992 the organization has been headed by Sheikh Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, its Secretary-General.

Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Israel consider Hezbollah, or its external security arm, a terrorist organization. All other countries do not list Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation and all Arab countries consider it a resistance organization. The European Union does not list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. <ref>[4]</ref> The terrorist label is controversial and highly political; as many Arab and Muslim states support Hezbollah's goals and consider it legitimate.<ref>[5]</ref><ref>[6]</ref> Russia says that it doesn't list Hezbollah as a terrorist organization because it does not view Hezbollah as a threat to Russia's security.<ref>

   "Hezbollah not on Russia's "terrorist" list", Associated Press. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.

</ref> Human rights organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch accused Hezbollah of committing war crimes against Israeli civilians<ref>Amnesty: Hezbollah committed war crimes against Israel. The Globe and Mail (2006-09-14). Retrieved on 2006-09-14.</ref>. Hezbollah's supporters justify the killing of Israeli civilians<ref>"Lebanon: Hezbollah Rocket Attacks on Haifa Designed to Kill Civilians" [[Human Rights Watch]]</ref> as reciprocal to Israeli crimes and retaliation for Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory.<ref>[http://hrw.org/reports/1996/Israel.htm CIVILIAN PAWNS Laws of War Violations and the Use of Weapons on the Israel-Lebanon Border]</ref><ref>[http://hrw.org/reports/1997/isrleb/Isrleb.htm ISRAEL/LEBANON "OPERATION GRAPES OF WRATH"]</ref><ref>UN likely to cut request for Lebanon emergency aid</ref><ref>[7]</ref>

</div>

Hezbollah Image:Flag of Hezbollah.svg

Articles Ideology History Military activities Political activities Rocket force Foreign relations Hassan Nasrallah

Contents 1 Introduction and background 2 Flag 3 Ideology 3.1 Shi'a Islamism 3.2 Position on Israel 3.3 Position on Jews and Judaism 3.4 Position on use of armed strength to achieve aims 3.5 Women’s rights 4 History 4.1 Background 4.2 Foundation 5 Political activities 5.1 Lebanese government positions 6 Military activities 6.1 Armed strength 6.2 Intelligence capabilities 6.3 Stance on what is a legitimate military target 7 Media operations 8 Social services 9 Funding 10 Foreign relations 11 Outside views of Hezbollah 11.1 Public opinion 11.2 Designation as a terrorist organization 11.3 Non Governmental Organizations 12 See also 13 References 14 Literature 15 External links 15.1 Official sites 15.2 UN resolutions regarding Lebanon 15.3 United States Department of State 15.4 Other links

[edit] Introduction and background

Hezbollah is one of two main political parties representing the Shiites; Lebanon's largest religious bloc. It participates in government.<ref>McClatchy Newspapers July 15th, 2006</ref> In the elections for Parliament, it won over 10% of the seats (14 out of 128) and the bloc it forms with others, the Resistance and Development Bloc, 27.3% (see Lebanese general election, 2005). Hezbollah organizes an extensive social development program. Hezbollah also runs hospitals, news services, and educational facilities. <ref name="irinnews52494"> UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2006-03-29). LEBANON: The many hands and faces of Hezbollah. Retrieved on 2006-08-17. </ref> Its Reconstruction Campaign ('Jihad al-Bina') is responsible for numerous economic and infrastructure development projects in Lebanon.<ref name="sachs">Sachs, Susan. The New York Times. Helping Hand of Hezbollah Emerging in South Lebanon. March 30, 2000.</ref>

Hezbollah had its origins in the early 1980s in a milieu which included the recent Iranian Islamic Revolution, political and secular conflict in Lebanon, and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.<ref name="HG20Ak02">

   Dahr Jamail. "Hezbollah's transformation", Asia Times Online, July 20, 2006. Retrieved on August 7th, 2006.</ref> Ending Israel's occupation of Southern Lebanon was the main focus of Hezbollah's early activities. 

Israel had become militarily involved in Lebanon in combat with the Palestine Liberation Organization 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 Southern Lebanon to protect its Northern border.

According to the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base and the BBC, "[f]or many years, Hezbollah was synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings.<ref name="MIPT">Who are Hezbollah?. MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base (2006-09-27). Retrieved on 2006-10-06.</ref><ref name="bbc-hi-me-1908671">Hezbollah. BBC News (2002-04-04). Retrieved on 2006-08-11.</ref> Hezbollah is reputed to have been among the first Islamic resistance groups to use tactical suicide bombing against foreign soldiers in the Middle East.<ref>Adam Shatz (April 29, 2004). In Search of Hezbollah. The New York Review of Books.</ref> Hezbollah's acts have included multiple kidnappings,<ref>[8]</ref><ref>"Hizballah Terrorist Incidents Since May 2000", Jewish Virtual Library, August 4, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-7. (in English)</ref><ref>"Israelis Held by the Hizbullah", Israel MFA, Jan 2004. Retrieved on 2006-08-7. (in English)</ref><ref> H. CON. RES. 190, 1st session, 101st congress (1989-08-04). Expressing the sense of the Congress over the reported murder of Lieutenant Colonel William Higgins and Hezbollah-sponsored terrorism.. The Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2006-08-08. </ref><ref> Telegraph, 2004/2/21</ref> murders,<ref>[9]</ref><ref>"Hizballah Terrorist Incidents Since May 2000", Jewish Virtual Library, August 4, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-7. (in English)</ref><ref>"Hizballah Terrorist Incidents Since May 2000", Jewish Virtual Library, August 4, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-7. (in English)</ref><ref>

  H. CON. RES. 190, 1st session, 101st congress (1989-08-04). Expressing the sense of the Congress over the reported murder of Lieutenant Colonel William Higgins and Hezbollah-sponsored terrorism.. The Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.</ref><ref>

[10]</ref> hijackings,<ref>[11]</ref> and bombings.<ref>[12]</ref><ref>United States Department of State, April 2005.</ref><ref>Rex A. Hudson, The Sociology and Psychology of Terrorism, 1999.</ref><ref>"On this day", BBC News, 1994-07-26. Retrieved on 2006-07-26. (in English)</ref> Hezbollah has been subject to assassination and abduction by Israel as well.<ref>[13]</ref> Hezbollah's violent acts are characterized by some countries as terrorist attacks; while others regard them as 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 and held it as a security zone in spite of United Nations Security Council Resolution 425. Although Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, and their complete withdrawal was verified by the United Nations, Lebanon considers the Shebaa farms, captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 war and considered by the UN to be disputed territory between Syria and Israel, to be Lebanese territory. Additionally, Israel holds between 2 and dozens 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 Hezbollah against Israel to be justified as acts of Jihad.<ref name="Thisreen1999-1">Thisreen (Syrian newspaper) June 21, 1999, reprinted by MEMRI Secretary General of Hizbullah Discusses the New Israeli Government and Hizbullah’s Struggle Against Israel Accessed July 30, 2006</ref> Although some Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) have condemned Hezbollah's actions saying "that the Arabs and Muslims can't afford to allow an irresponsible and adventurous organization like Hezbollah to drag the region to war"; calling it "dangerous adventurism".<ref>The Jerusalem Post (2006-07-17). Arab world fed up with Hizbullah. Retrieved on 2006-08-17. </ref> "[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."<ref name="HG20Ak02"/><ref>http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HG20Ak02.html</ref><ref name="forbes2893194"> http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/feeds/ap/2006/07/20/ap2893194.html</ref><ref name="npr5554992">Hezbollah's Role in Lebanon's Government, NPR</ref> Even 74 percent of Lebanese Christians viewed Hezbollah at the height of the war as a resistance organization.<ref>http://www.globalcomment.com/current_affairs/article_108.asp</ref>

In contrast, the United States, Israel and four other countries consider Hezbollah wholly or partly a terrorist organization. The European Union does not list Hezbollah as a "terrorist organization",<ref>http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/lebanon/intro/</ref> but does list Imad Mugniyah, a senior member and founder of Hezbollah as a terrorist.<ref>"COUNCIL DECISION of 21 December 2005 implementing Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism and repealing Decision 2005/848/EC(2005/930/EC)", Official Journal of the European Union.</ref>

[edit] Flag

Main article: Flag of Hezbollah

Image:Flag of Hezbollah.svg

The red lettering at the top of the flag of Hezbollah is a verse from the Quran from which its name is derivated, reading "It is only the party of God who wins."<ref>Ayat 56 Al-Mai'da [14]</ref> The large green lettering is the name of the group — with the first letter of "Allah" reaching up to grasp a Soviet AK-47. 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 picture on the flag closely resembles the flag of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

[edit] Ideology

Main article: Hezbollah Ideology

At the beginning Hezbollah declared the principles of its ideology in "The Hizballah Program" on February 16, 1985.<ref>The Hizballah Program: An Open Letter [to the Downtrodden in Lebanon and the World]. Institute for Counterterrorism (1985-02-16). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref><ref name="mfaGOV960411">

   Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1996-04-11). Hizbullah. Retrieved on 2006-08-17.</ref>

• 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 Hezbullah organization views as an important goal the fight against 'western imperialism' and its eradication from Lebanon (including the Phalangist elements). Hezbollah 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.

In the early 1990s, Hezbollah underwent what a number of observers have called a process of "Lebanonization," which is reflected in acceptance of a multiconfessional Lebanon, rapprochement with a variety of non-Islamist forces, participation in electoral politics, and an emphasis on providing for the social welfare of its Shi'a Lebanese constituency.<ref name="Usher">Graham Usher, "Hizballah, Syria, and the Lebanese Elections," Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 26, No. 2. (Winter, 1997), pp. 59-67</ref> This tendency was expressed in religious as well as strategic terms:

Christians and Jews differ with Muslims concerning the interpretation of the unity of God and the personality of God. Despite that, the Qur'an commands: Turn to the principle of unity--the unity of God and the unity of mankind. We interpret this to mean that we can meet with Marxists on the common ground of standing up to the forces of international arrogance; we can meet nationalists, even secular nationalists, on the common ground of Arab causes, which are also Islamic causes. Islam recognizes the Other. ... So Islam does not negate the Other; it invites the Other to dialogue.<ref name="Fadlallah">Mahmoud Soueid, "Islamic Unity and Political Change. Interview with Shaykh Muhammad Hussayn Fadlallah," Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 25, No. 1. (Autumn, 1995), pp. 61-75.</ref>

[edit] Shi'a Islamism

Hezbollah's original 1985 manifesto reads:

We are the sons of the ummah (Muslim community) - the party of God (Hizb Allah) the vanguard of which was made victorious by God in Iran. 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 (jurist) who fulfills all the necessary conditions: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini....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. 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, the Sunna and the legal rulings of the faqih who is our source of imitation.<ref>The Hezballah Program: An Open Letter [to the Downtrodden in Lebanon and the World]. Institute for Counterterrorism (1985-02-16). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>

Hezbollah was largely formed with the aid of the Ayatollah Khomeini's followers in the early eighties in order to spread Islamic revolution<ref>Wright, Robin (2006-07-13). Options for U.S. Limited As Mideast Crises Spread. Washington Post.</ref> and follows a distinct version of Islamic Shi'a ideology (“Willayat Al-Faqih”) developed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.<ref name="mfaGOV960411" /><ref name="HG20Ak02"/>

Although Hezbollah originally aimed to transform Lebanon into an Islamic republic, Hezbollah's spiritual guide Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah<ref name="Fadlallah" />claims this goal has been abandoned.<ref name="HG20Ak02" /><ref name="bbc-hi-me-1908671"/> Doubts, however, remain.<ref>US Department of State Background Information on Foreign Terrorist Organizations Accessed August 15, 2006</ref><ref name="CFR.org"/><ref name="CNN11-30-06">"Lebanese prime minister: There will be no coup." CNN.com. 30 November 2006. 30 November 2006</ref>Nasrallah has been quoted as saying, "We believe the requirement for an Islamic state is to have an overwhelming popular desire, and we're not talking about fifty percent plus one, but a large majority. And this is not available in Lebanon and probably never will be."<ref>Adam Shatz, New York Review of Books, April 29, 2004 In Search of Hezbollah Accessed August 15, 2006</ref> Although Hezbollah believes in one-person-one-vote system and disagree with the multi-confessional quotas under the Ta'if Accord, it does not intend to force a one-person-one-vote system onto the country’s Christians.<ref>Helena Cobban (April/May 2005). Hizbullah's New Face. Boston Review.</ref>

[edit] Position on Israel

From the inception of Hezbollah to the present<ref name="hzb-letter" /><ref name="www-ny-review-books-17060" /><ref>United Nations Document A/54/723 S/2000/55, citing Al Hayyat, 30 October 1999 Letter dated 25 January 2000 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General Accessed August 17, 2006</ref><ref>The Brunswickan Online. "Hizbollah promises Israel a blood-filled new year, Iran calls for Israel's end". (Student newspaper)</ref><ref>Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Listed Entities - Hizballah Accessed July 31, 2006</ref> 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,"<ref name="Thisreen1999-1">Thisreen (Syrian newspaper) June 21, 1999, reprinted by MEMRI Secretary General of Hizbullah Discusses the New Israeli Government and Hizbullah’s Struggle Against Israel Accessed July 30, 2006</ref> 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."<ref>Little choice for a defiant Israel, by Andrew Markus, The Age, July 15, 2006</ref><ref>United Nations Document A/54/723 S/2000/55, citing Washington Post, 1 January 2000 Letter dated 25 January 2000 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General Accessed August 17, 2006</ref> In an interview with the Washington Post, 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."<ref>"Said Hassan Nasrallah Q&A: What Hezbollah Will Do", The Washington Post, February 20, 2000. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.</ref>

In a 1999 interview, Nasrallah outlined the group’s three "minimal demand[s]: an [Israeli] withdrawal from South Lebanon and the Western Bqa’ Valley, a withdrawal from the Golan, and the return of the Palestinian refugees.”<ref name="Thisreen1999-1" /> An additional objective is the freeing of prisoners held in Israeli jails,<ref name="www-news-bbc-l-w-me-710645"> Source states, among other things, that Hezbollah seeks the return of Lebanese prisoners from Israel: "Israeli court frees Lebanese prisoners", BBC News, 2000-04-12. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.</ref><ref name="www-alj-nr-a67-7-4-9-ca">"Israeli striles kill 40 in Lebanon", Al Jazeera, 2006-07-13. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.</ref><ref name="HG20Ak02"/> some of whom have been imprisoned for eighteen years.<ref>Private website, registered to Bassam Kantar, Beirut Lebanon (WHOIS search, August 4, 2006) Freedom for Samir Kuntar Accessed August 4, 2006</ref> Hezbollah's desire for Israeli prisoners that could be exchanged with Israel led to its abduction of Israeli soldiers which triggered the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.<ref>Malaysia Sun, August 4, 2006 Hezbollah not to blame for war, reports show Accessed August 18, 2006</ref>

Israel's occupation of the Shebaa Farms, along with the presence of Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails, is often used as a pretext and stated as justification for the Hezbollah'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 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.'"<ref>Jeffrey Goldberg, "In the Party of God." The New Yorker. 10 July 2002. Accessed 2 September 2006.</ref>

In 2002, according to the BBC, Hezbollah, "said publicly that it is ready to open a second front against Israel in support of the intifada."<ref name="bbc-hi-me-1908671">Who are Hezbollah?. BBC News (2002-04-04). Retrieved on 2006-08-11.</ref> In a 2003 interview, Nasrallah has answered questions concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state 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."<ref name="hersh-newyorker-030728fa">Hersh, Seymour. "The Syrian Bet", The New Yorker, 2003-07-18. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.</ref> 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 goes to Israel ... [but] let it happen. I would not say O.K. I would say nothing."<ref name="hersh-newyorker-030728fa" /> Similarly, in 2004, when asked whether he was prepared to live with a two-state settlement between Israel and Palestine, Nasrallah said he would not sabotage what is a Palestinian matter.<ref name="www-ny-review-books-17060" /> He also said that outside of Lebanon, Hezbollah will act only in a defensive manner towards Israeli forces, and that Hezbollah's missiles were acquired to deter attacks on Lebanon.<ref>Macvicar, Sheila. "Interview With Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah", CNN, March 16, 2003. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</ref>

Of course, in July 2006, Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers sparking the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

[edit] Position on Jews and Judaism

Hezbollah's official web site marks a distinction between "Zionist ideology" and Judaism. It sees the rejection of Zionism as an attitude hold across "races, religions, and nationalities." It likens Zionism to "the concept of creating 'Israel' by the use of force and violence, by stealing the Arabs’ lands and killing Palestinians."<ref>The Truth Is Spoken: Anti-Zionists Are No Anti-Semitists... The Zionists ideology versus the Torah and Judaism, Archive search result page, labeled "Aljazeera, 1-1-2006."</ref>

Hassan Nasrallah has made anti-Jewish statements such as "if they [Jews] all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide."<ref>Chayban, Badih "Nasrallah alleges 'Christian Zionist' plot." The Daily Star (Beirut). 23 October 2002</ref> The managing editor of the Beirut Daily Star, which published the quotation, has however since called into question the accuracy of the quotation as well as the honesty of the reporter.<ref>[15]</ref> A search of the Daily Star's online archive shows that between August 2002 and November 2003, the newspaper published 170 reports by the journalist in question.<ref>[16]</ref>

Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Shiite scholar and assistant professor at the Lebanese American University, however, argues that Hezbollah is not Anti-Zionist, but actually Anti-Jewish. 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".<ref>"IN THE PARTY OF GOD Are terrorists in Lebanon preparing for a larger war?", The New Yorker, October 14, 2002. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.</ref> Regarding the official public stance of Hezbollah 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."<ref>"IN THE PARTY OF GOD Are terrorists in Lebanon preparing for a larger war?", The New Yorker, October 14, 2002. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.</ref>

In 2004 the Hezbollah-owned television station Al-Manar was banned in France on the grounds that it was inciting racial hatred. The court cited a 23 November broadcast in which a speaker accused Israel of deliberately disseminating AIDS in Arab nations.<ref>BBC News, December 14, 2004 France pulls plug on Arab network Accessed August 18, 2006</ref> No other European country has followed France's lead.

[edit] 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.<ref>The Hezballah Program: An Open Letter [to the Downtrodden in Lebanon and the World]. Institute for Counterterrorism (1985-02-16). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>

According to Islamic law, all Muslims should defend Islamic lands through Defensive Jihad and fight non-Muslims to withdraw from them. Both Sunnis and Shiites accept this principle.<ref>[17]</ref>

[edit] Women’s rights

In keeping with Lebanon’s generally secular and egalitarian culture, Hezbollah recognizes and promotes women’s rights (in the mold of the Western liberal tradition) somewhat more strongly than do other groups associated with Islamic jihad or Iran."<ref name="memri_blaarghwtf" /><ref name="oj_article_fsm4d">

   Schuh, Trish (2006-07-18). Free speech marked for death. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.

</ref>

See also: Women in Muslim societies

[edit] History

Main article: History of Hezbollah

[edit] Background

See also: Israel-Lebanon conflict

Israel had become militarily involved in Lebanon in combat with the Palestine Liberation Organization 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. Also, in 1982, "Iran sent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to train Lebanese groups while Israel was invading and occuping southern part of Lebanon.<ref>Passner, Deborah. "Hassan Nasrallah: In His Own Words." On Campus Fall 2006: 15+.</ref>

During the years prior to its official founding, Hezbollah was responsible or partially responsible for several attacks on Western (mostly American) targets; the most notable of which were the April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing ("killing 63 people"<ref name="Ini">"Timeline of Hezbollah Violence." CAMERA: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America. 17 July 2006. 18 November 2006. Later reprinted in On Campus magazine's Fall 2006 issue and attributed the article to author Gilead Ini.</ref>) and the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing ("killing 241 American military personnel stationed in Beirut as past of a peace-keeping force"<ref name="Ini" />).

[edit] Foundation

Hezbollah was formed primarily to combat the Israeli occupation following the 1982 invasion of Lebanon.<ref name="bbc-hi-me-1908671" /><ref>

    Stephen, Zunes (2000-09-01). "Israeli Occupation of Lebanon and the Formation of Hezbollah". Information Brief (46). Retrieved on 2006-08-14.</ref><ref name="CFR.org" /> It was officially founded on February 16, 1985 when Sheik Ibrahim al-Amin declared the group's manifesto. The publication of the manifesto was timed to coincide with the anniversary of Ragheb Harb's death.<ref>Preatoni, Robert (2006-08-01). The war Israel cannot win. Zone-H.</ref> 

Scholars differ as to when Hezbollah came to be a distinct entity. Some organizations list the official formation of the group as early as 1982<ref> GlobalSecurity.org, 2005 </ref> whereas Diaz and Newman maintain that Hezbollah remained an amalgamation of various violent Shi’a extremists until as late as 1985.<ref>Diaz & Newman, 2005, p. 55</ref> 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.<ref name="cobbanBR30_2">Helena Cobban, Boston Review Hizbullah’s New Face Accessed August 14, 2006</ref> Regardless of when the name came into official use, a number of Shi’a groups were slowly assimilated into Hezbollah, such as Islamic Jihad, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth and the Revolutionary Justice Organization.^{[citation needed]} These designations are considered to be synonymous with Hezbollah by the US,<ref>U.S Department of State (1999-10-01). Background Information on Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Retrieved on 2006-07-25.</ref> Israel<ref name="mfaGOV960411" /> and Canada.<ref name="canadag20030213-137">

   Canada Gazette (2003-02-12). Canada Gazette Vol. 137, no 1. Retrieved on 2006-07-25.

</ref>

They have fought with Israel for more than twenty years and as a result tens of Hizbullah leaders and officials including the former Secretary-General,Seyyed Abbas al-Musawi have been assassinated by Israel.<ref name="bbc-819200" /><ref name="cobbanBR30_2"/>

[edit] Political activities

Main article: Hezbollah political activities

Along with the Amal Movement, Hezbollah is one of the two main parties representing the Shia community, Lebanon's largest religious bloc, but the only remaining militant one (Amal is now only a political party).<ref>Seelye, Kate (2005-04-01). Lebanon's religious mix. PBS Frontline World. Retrieved on 2006-07-28.</ref>

Hezbollah participates in the Parliament of Lebanon.<ref>McClathy Newspapers July 15th, 2006</ref> In the general election of 2005, it won 14 seats nationwide (of 128 total), and an Amal-Hezbollah alliance won all 23 seats in Southern Lebanon. The bloc it forms with others, the Resistance and Development Bloc, took 27.3% of the seats (see Lebanese general election, 2005). Also When municipal elections were held in spring 2004, the party won control of 21 percent of the municipalities.<ref name="cobbanBR30_2"/>

Hezbollah is a minority partner in the current Cabinet, holding two (and endorsing a third) cabinet positions<ref>YaLibnan Wednesday, "Lineup of Lebanon's new Cabinet"; 20 July, 2005</ref><ref>LebaneseBloggers, " The Lineup: Check the Name", 15 July, 2005</ref> in the Lebanese government of July 2005. The two official Hizbullah ministers are Muhammad Fneish and Trad Hamadeh.

Hezbollah's political success is regarded as a model for other Islamic parties in the Middle East like Hamas and United Iraqi Alliance; its actions are thought to provide strong clues as to how these other emerging Islamist forces might behave.<ref name="cobbanBR30_2" />

[edit] Lebanese government positions

The government of Lebanon's position on Hezbollah's disarmament is unclear.<ref name="cnn-2005-05-07"> "Hezbollah disarmament unclear", CNN, May 7, 2005. Retrieved on August 5, 2006.</ref> On August 5, 2006 the Prime Minister of Lebanon said that "the continued presence of Israeli occupation of Lebanese lands in the Shebaa Farms region is what contributes to the presence of Hezbollah weapons. The international community must help us in (getting) an Israeli withdrawal from Shebaa Farms so we can solve the problem of Hezbollah's arms".<ref>"Israelis, Hezbollah Clash Again in Lebanon", AP, July 20, 2006. Retrieved on August 7, 2006.</ref> On the one hand it wants to solve the problem of Hezbollah's arms; but on the other hand it cannot politically do so.

[edit] Military activities

Main article: Hezbollah military activities

Hezbollah has a military branch known as Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya ("The Islamic Resistance") and is the possible sponsor of a number of lesser-known militant groups, some of which may be little more than fronts for Hezbollah itself, including the Organization of the Oppressed, the Revolutionary Justice Organization, the Organization of Right Against Wrong, and Followers of the Prophet Muhammad.<ref>US Department of State Background Information on Foreign Terrorist Organizations</ref><ref name="mfaGOV960411" /><ref name="canadag20030213-137" />

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 called for the disarmament of militia with the Taif agreement at the end of the Lebanese civil war. Hezbollah denounced and protested against the resolution. The 2006 military conflict with Israel has increased the controversy. Failure to disarm remains a violation of the resolution and agreement, but a significant minority of Lebanese consider Hezbollah's weaponry a necessary and justified element of resistance. The official position of the Lebanese government is unclear, with conflicting statements given. <ref>[18]</ref>

[edit] Armed strength

See also: Hezbollah rocket force

The strength of Hezbollah's forces are disputed, having been estimated by US government sources as either "several thousand"<ref> Background Information on Foreign Terrorist Organizations. U.S Department of State (1999-10-08). Retrieved on 2006-07-25.</ref> or, alternatively, as several thousand supporters and a few hundred devotee operatives.<ref name="NPSnavy2004">Country Reports on Terrorism, 2004. U.S Department of State (2005-04-01). Retrieved on 2006-07-25.</ref> It is frequently claimed that Hezbollah's militia is supported by Iran and Syria.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates Hezbollah forces to consist of 600-1000 active fighters (with 3,000 - 5,000 regulars available and 10,000 reservists) and to possess stockpile of 10,000 - 15,000 rockets of the Katyusha, Fajr-3 and Fajr-5 type in addition to an estimated 30 missiles of the Zelzal type.<ref>The International Institute For Strategic Studies (2006-07-21). Agence France Presse - Lebanese army faces no-win situation. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</ref>

Most mainstream media, including for example Israel-based Haaretz, report Hezbollah is not a small guerrilla group. It is frequently described as a trained, skilled, well-organized, highly motivated infantry equipped with modern weaponry from the arsenals of Syria, Iran, Russia, and the People's Republic of China. Analysts note the natural advantage that Hezbollah fighters tend to be very familiar with the territory wherein armed conflict takes place.<ref> Singh, Gajendra (2006-07-31). Rice's New ME Birth pangs Deliver Daughter of the Mountain. Al Jazeerah. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.</ref>

Hezbollah military is generally considered to be the most capable non-state armed group in the Middle East. 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], 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."<ref>Group Profile: Hezbollah. Jane's Information Group. 26 July 2006. Accessed 8 September 2006</ref>

[edit] 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,^{[citation needed]} and is also known to conduct SIGINT operations against IDF communications.<ref>Melman, Yossi (2006-07-21). The Prying Game. Haaretz.</ref>

According to Michael Eisenstadt, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Hezbollah also has a unit called Unit 1800 which aids Palestinians engaged in their operations, by providing funding, direction, weapons, and bomb-building instructions.<ref>Eisenstadt, Michael (2006-07-17). Israeli Offensive Widens. Washington Post. Retrieved on 2006-08-02.</ref>

[edit] 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, but remained silent on the attack on the Pentagon, neither favoring nor opposing the act.<ref name="wp_inside_the_mind"> Wright, Robin. "Inside the Mind of Hezbollah", The Washington Post. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.</ref><ref>Adam Shatz, New York Review of Books, April 29, 2004 In Search of Hezbollah Accessed August 15, 2006</ref> Hezbollah also denounced the Armed Islamic Group massacres in Algeria, Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya attacks on tourists in Egypt,<ref>Hezbollah's condemnation of murder of civilians in Egypt and Algeria is described in Saad-Ghorayeb, p. 101.</ref> and the murder of Nick Berg.<ref>Usher, Sebastian. "Muted Arab reaction to Berg beheading", BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-07-27.</ref> 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.”<ref name="wp_inside_the_mind" />

Although Hezbollah has denounced certain attacks on Western civilians, it makes an exception when the victims are Jews.^{[verification needed]} Their most common civilian targets are Israelis, however they have been known^{[verification needed]} to target Jews and Jewish institutions abroad as well. Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman, Marcelo Martinez Burgos, and their "staff of some 45 people"[19] alleged Hezbollah and their contacts in Iran were responsible for the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Argentina, in which "[e]ighty-five people were killed and more than 200 others injured."<ref name="Argentine">"Argentine prosecutors: Arrest former Iranian president." CNN.com, 2006-10-26, 'Prosecutor Alberto Nisman told a news conference that the decision to attack the center "was undertaken in 1993 by the highest authorities of the then-government of Iran." He said the actual attack was entrusted to the Lebanon-based group Hezbollah.'</ref> In June 2002, shortly after the Israeli government launched Operation Defensive Shield, which culminated in the Battle of Jenin, Nasrallah gave a speech in which he defended and praised suicide bombings of Israeli civilians, including women and children; by members of Palestinian groups for "creating a deterrence and equalizing fear." Nasrallah stated that "in occupied Palestine there is no difference between a soldier and a civilian, for they are all invaders, occupiers and usurpers of the land;"<ref>Adam Shatz, New York Review of Books, April 29, 2004 In Search of Hezbollah Accessed August 15, 2006</ref> making no distinction between killing soldiers or murdering women and children.

Journalist Paul Martin, writing in The Washington Times, quoted Hassan Nasrallah as saying, "I encourage Palestinians to take suicide bombings worldwide. Don't be shy about it." However the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that it was unable to find any record of the speech and suggested that it had been fabricated.<ref>"Hezbollah says Canada was duped into calling them terrorists", Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, December 12, 2002. Retrieved on 2006-09-03.</ref>

In addition, Hezbollah's television station Al-Manar airs programming designed to inspire suicide attacks in Gaza, the West Bank and Iraq.<ref>"[http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/021014fa_fact4 IN THE PARTY OF GOD Are terrorists in Lebanon preparing for a larger war?]", The New Yorker, October 14, 2002. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.</ref><ref>"[http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/jorisch200412220812.asp Terrorist Television Hezbollah has a worldwide reach]", National Review Online, December 22, 2004. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref><ref>"Al-Manar and the War in Iraq", Middle East Intelligence Bulliten, April, 2003. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>

[edit] Media operations

Hezbollah operates a satellite television station from Lebanon, Al-Manar TV ("the Lighthouse") as well as a radio station, al-Nour ("the Light"). Kabdat Alla ("The Fist of God") is the monthly magazine of Hezbollah's paramilitary wing.

Al Manar broadcasts news in Arabic, English, French and Hebrew and is widely watched both in Lebanon and in other Arab countries. Its transmission in France (even via satellite, not by any station based on French territory) is controversial. It has been accused of promoting religious and racial hatred (against Jews), which is a criminal offense in France. On December 13, 2004, the French Conseil d'État, acting on the request of the French TV authorities, issued an injunction to Eutelsat to cease the broadcasting of Al Manar in France.<ref>See:

• full text of the decision
• press release (in French)
• BBC report</ref>

The Hezbollah Central Internet Bureau in 2003 released a Video Game<ref>Memri.org</ref> titled Special Force, intended to simulate Arab-Israeli conflicts from an Arab perspective.

Materials aimed at children<ref>Roee Nahmias (31 August 2006). Hizbullah presents: How to recruit children. ynetnews.com.</ref> 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.<ref>Time, August 8, 2006 How Hizballah Hijacks the Internet Accessed August 15, 2006</ref> These websites are also considered "an inseparable part of the psychological war"<ref>Haaretz, August 3, 2006 Hezbollah reports becoming less and less believable Accessed August 15, 2006</ref> and are tracked by other groups with a view to their closure.<ref>Internet Haganah Table of American Service Providers of Hizballah Accessed August 15, 2006</ref>

[edit] Social services

Hezbollah also organizes extensive social development programs, running hospitals, news services, and educational facilities. Social services have a central role in the party's programs. In 1996’s “The Electoral Program of Hizbullah,” the party declared its wish to improve the educational and health system.<ref>Al Mashriq The Electoral Program of Hizbullah, 1996 Accessed 2006-07-25</ref> Most experts believe that Hezbollah's social and health programmes are worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.<ref>[20]</ref>

It has established some institutions which are Emdad committee for Islamic Charity,<ref>Emdad commitee for Islamic Charity</ref> Al-Shahid Social Association, Hizbollah Central Press Office, Al Jarha Association,<ref>Al Jarha Association</ref> and Jehad Al Benaa Developmental Association.<ref>Jehad Al Benaa Developmental Association</ref> Its Reconstruction Campaign ('Jihad al-Binna') is responsible for numerous economic and infrastructure development projects in Lebanon.<ref>JoMarie Fecci, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs: Despite End of Lebanon’s Long Civil War, Low-Level Conflict Continues Around Israeli-Occupied Zone'</ref> 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. Hezbollah 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".<ref name="irinnews52494">

   UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2006-03-29). LEBANON: The many hands and faces of Hezbollah. Retrieved on 2006-08-17.

</ref> Also Hezbollah's social service agencies provide health care and schooling for poor farmers.<ref>Washington Post, July 22, 2006 History repeats itself in new conflict? Not quite Accessed 2006-07-25</ref>

According to CNN: "Hezbollah did everything that a government should do, from collecting the garbage to running hospitals and repairing schools."<ref name="cnn20060724-1">CNN. "Hezbollah's secret weapon", 2006-07-25. Retrieved on 2006-07-25.</ref> In July 2006, during the war with Israel, when there was no running water in Beirut, 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."<ref name="cnn20060724-1"/> The Washington Post 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.<ref name="WPBestGuerrilla">Edward Cody and Molly Moore (2006-08-14). The Best Guerrilla Force in the World. The Washington Post.</ref> Also after the war it competes with the Lebanon government to reconstruct destroyed area. According to analysts like American University Professor Judith Swain Harik, Jihad al-Binaa has won the initial battle of hearts and minds in large part because they are the most experienced in the reconstruction field in Lebanon. <ref>[21]</ref>

[edit] Funding

Hezbollah mainly gets its money from donations. Lebanese Shi’ites often make zakat contributions directly after prayers, leaving change in the two-handed Hezbollah collection tins. Also Hezbollah receives financial and political assistance, as well as weapons and training, from the Islamic Republic of Iran.<ref name="irinnews52494">

   UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2006-03-29). LEBANON: The many hands and faces of Hezbollah. Retrieved on 2006-08-17.

</ref><ref> M.E.M.R.I (2006-07-31). Iranian Assistance to Hizbullah - Iran Revolutionary Guards. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.</ref><ref name="WPBestGuerrilla" /> 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.<ref name="CRSreport1" /><ref>Hezbollah's Global Finance Network: The Triple Frontier (January, 2002). Retrieved on 7th August, 2006. </ref><ref>CNN, November 7, 2001 Sources: Terrorists find haven in South America Accessed August 17, 2006</ref> Some estimates of Iran's aid are as high as $200-million annually.<ref name="wpa12336">Washington Post, December 20, 2004 Lebanese Wary of a Rising Hezbollah Accessed August 8, 2006</ref>

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.<ref name="wpa12336"/>

Hezbollah has also received Iranian-supplied weaponry, including 11,500 missiles already in place in southern Lebanon. Three thousand Hezbollah militants have undergone training in Iran, which included guerilla warfare, firing missiles and rocket artillery, operating unmanned drones, marine warfare and conventional war operations. Finally, 50 pilots have been trained in Iran in the past two years.<ref>"Iran Provider of Hezbollah's Weaponry", Asharq Alawsat, July 16,2006.</ref>

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.<ref>[22]</ref>

On August 4, 2006, Jane's Defense Weekly, 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. 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".<ref name="yahoo-20060804">"Missiles neutralizing Israeli tanks", 4th August, 2006. Retrieved on 7th August, 2006.</ref>

Iran long denied supplying Hezbollah with weapons,<ref name="HG20Ak02"/><ref>"Iran denies giving aid to Hizbullah", Jerusalem Post, July 28th, 2006</ref> despite persistent reports to the contrary.<ref>AFP via Yahoo! News, August 4, 2006 Iran to supply Hezbollah with surface-to-air missiles Accessed August 5, 2006</ref><ref>Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism (2006-04-28). Country Reports on Terrorism: State Sponsors of Terror Overview. Retrieved on 2006-07-17.</ref><ref name="yahoo-20060804"/><ref>Video Clip</ref> 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 Sh