Tag Archives: arab

Middle East Conflict

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middle east conflict

Some historians dub the “Arab Revolt” as the start of Western interference in the Middle East Conflict. This had its beginnings in 1936 when the Arabs living in the Palestine Region at that time, revolted against British rule, (specifically against the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine).

Since the Middle East Conflict broke over 60 years ago, it is now mainly known as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But which conflict is it? – What we knew as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, looks more today like the Arab-Israel, Palestinian – Israeli, Muslim versus the West, Arab people versus the Jews of Palestine and Israel-Conflict. Does this sound confusing to you? It is confusing- so is the history, and so is the current crises. How do we understand the changing nature of Middle East Conflict in a reasonable way that lends itself to comprehension?

First, a brief overview could go along way towards that end. Judea, ancient home of the Jews, was conquered by the Romans and renamed Palestine around A.D.135. But long before the region became known as Palestine (Palestrina originally), the area had been inhabited continually for tens of thousand of years. Later the Romans were conquered by the Arab people, who then inhabited the region for a thousand years.

The Jews claim that God gave to them the “Land of Canaan” as their inheritance. But Amorites, Canaanites, and Semitic peoples had been there since around 2000 B.C. They would, of course dispute the claims of the Jews. What about after the Romans were conquered? Does a thousand years of Arab occupancy cause a land to belong to that people? I wonder how certain Americans would respond to that question if they consider whose land the United States truly is after less than 300 years of our having occupied it?

Many accounts of history are written with the intention of convincing rather than informing (I wonder where “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” fits into this picture). It has been History’s legacy to create divisive issues between Palestinians and Israelis. These issues have evolved to include a diverse list of participants such as Iran, Iraq, UAE, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia- among others. It’s no wonder that the Middle East Conflict continues to frustrate world leaders all across the globe.

It is possible that the crux of the matter in the Middle East Conflict is history, and the different perceptions of history? Interpreting historical accounts in different ways is only natural, perhaps, but the concern here is where these different accounts of history are used to justify. “Justify” can be a cruel word if it means that someone has to win and someone has to loose. In this case, someone means many millions of Jews and Palestinians. They both live in the land and have divergent national directives. Who is to have sovereignty when both peoples need and deserve self-determination? And the Middle East Conflict goes on.

It may be an act of providence that some world leaders (including our own) are talking about a two-state resolution to the Middle East Conflict. It stands to reason that two people- Palestinians and Jews- living side-by- in peace is the only direction that leads away from the current cycle of violence and hatred which stems not only from 1948, but goes back much, much further. Perhaps time will tell-and History will be written for the good of all people.

Hezbollah History

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hezbollah golan heights

Hezbollah is an Islamic political and paramilitary organization based in Lebanon. The exact point of time when Hezbollah History started is a matter of debate among historians. It is commonly believed that Hezbollah was founded in 1982 in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Although the movement started with only a small militia, it has gained significantly in strength since the turn of the century. Today it is an organization able to mobilize demonstrations of hundreds of thousands. Much of its membership is derived originally from the 1980’s coalition of Islamic Jihad. Today it has ties to Iran, Syria and other Arab nations as well. The United States and other countries define it as a terrorist organization. It is fiercely opposed in Israel.

In 1985, Hezbollah published a manifesto listing three main goals: “putting and end to any colonialist entity” in Lebanon; bringing the Phalangists to justice for “the crimes they [had] perpetrated,” and the establishment of an Islamic regime in Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s two centralized figures are Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, the spiritual leader and Hassan Nasrallah, the senior political leader (Secretary-General).

The group is structured into three sub-organizations: Bayt al-Mal, Jihad al Binna and the IRSO (Islamic Resistance Support Organization). Financial support is gained from Iran, Syria and the donations of Lebanese Shi’a groups.

Hezbollah History is fraught with intense controversy. According to the United States Council on Foreign Relations, Hezbollah is responsible for five major terrorist attacks against the U.S. and Israel, including the 1983 suicide truck bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Hezbollah is credited as one of the first Islamic resistant groups to use suicide bombing, assassination, and capturing as tactics against foreign solders in the Middle East. Yet during the Lebanon Civil War (1975-1990) it is said that Hezbollah never engaged in sectarian bloodletting or fought a major battle with the army during that fifteen year period.

The more recent Hezbollah History shows it evolving from a movement to an organization in which Hezbollah transformed from a revolutionary group into a political one. In 2005 Hezbollah won fourteen seats in Lebanon’s 128-member Parliament. In 2008, following the May takeover of West Beirut after a government-ordered shutdown of the group’s communication network, they were granted veto power in Lebanon’s parliament, then controlling eleven of the thirty seats in the cabinet. Some experts say however, the use of force by Hezbollah against Lebanese civilians during that conflict eroded some of the group’s credibility.

Hezbollah History is relatively recent but the jurors are still out on the verdict of “legitimacy”. Some governments consider the group’s violent acts as terrorism. Some regard them as resistance engaged in national defense. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Israel have officially listed Hezbollah, in at least some part, as a terrorist organization. Other countries disagree. Throughout most of the Arab and Muslim worlds, Hezbollah is referred to as a resistance movement. Although Hezbollah History is comparatively recent in the scheme of all things in the Middle East, it is also indicative of the issues that divide that entire region. Perhaps only time will give us a verdict.