Hezbollah
Could Be Gaining Strength
By Dahr Jamail
27 July, 2006
Inter Press Service
BEIRUT, Jul 26 (IPS) - The continuing Israeli bombing
of south Lebanon and south Beirut might just have strengthened the Hezbollah.
The bombings appear particularly
to have strengthened the hand of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the charismatic
Hezbollah leader.
Hezbollah has over the years
gained a strong following in Lebanon primarily on the back of its engagement
in social services, taking on infrastructure projects, and looking after
its followers. The Israeli assault is giving Hezbollah scope to gain
more such power.
Hezbollah now controls, for
example, more than half of about 100 schools in Beirut that have been
converted into refugee shelters.
"These attacks show
the true force of Israel," a young man told IPS at a refugee camp
in a city park. "I was with Hezbollah before, but now I want to
join them so I can fight the Israelis, who only want our land, and want
to attack Islam."
A Hezbollah member in charge
of a group of fighters in southern Beirut claimed that support for Hezbollah
has increased dramatically since the Israeli attacks began two weeks
ago.
"People are afraid,
and in need, and we are protecting them and helping care for the refugees
created by this Zionist aggression," he told IPS. "The longer
this fight continues, the more support we will have. We are prepared
to fight to the very end."
Support for the Hezbollah
appears to be stronger among younger people. And some Christians too
are speaking in support of Hezbollah. Ramzi Semaan, a 21-year-old Christian
told IPS that "Hezbollah was defending this country, and the Israeli
response was being planned months in advance. So Hezbollah is helping
to defend Lebanon from the Zionists."
But most of the Christian
population seem to blame Hezbollah. Of the 3.8 million people in Lebanon,
about 60 percent are Muslims, mostly Shia, and most of the remaining
40 percent Christian.
Views on the Hezbollah fall
largely, though not entirely, along religious lines. Most of the large
Shia population obediently follow every word of Nasrallah.
Many who have their doubts
about Hezbollah still speak of their need for Hezbollah protection against
Israeli aggression. And most agree that Hezbollah is a strong political
force, and will have to be negotiated with. It is clear that there can
be no peace in the region without including Hezbollah in any process
towards cease-fire and further, any lasting solution.
The widespread destruction
of infrastructure has been decisive in turning popular anger against
Israel, rather than Hezbollah.
"Israel is protecting
itself because Hezbollah made their operation against her soldiers,"
said Fuad Rashed, 33-year-old Christian owner of an electronics store
in the capital. "Their reaction is too strong though, because now
they are destroying our country."
A 50-year-old Christian,
Nassan Hanin, said "Hezbollah was wrong to carry out their operation,
and Israel is wrong in their extreme reaction. I'm happy that Hezbollah
was hit for what they did, but this has been at too great a cost for
us now."
Many who lived through the
worst of the civil war in the eighties blame both.
"We can barely believe
there is war here again," a 52-year-old waiter in the Hamra district
of Beirut told IPS. "We thought we were finished with it 1990.
I believe it was wrong for Hezbollah to kidnap the Israeli soldiers,
but this level of reaction from the Israelis, of destroying all of Lebanon,
is completely unjustified. It is insane."