- BEIRUT (IPS) -- The continuing
Israeli bombing of south Lebanon and south Beirut might just have strengthened
the Hezbollah. *
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- The bombings appear particularly to have strengthened
the hand of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the charismatic Hezbollah leader.
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- 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.
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- Hezbollah now controls, for example, more than half of
about 100 schools in Beirut that have been converted into refugee shelters.
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- "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."
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- 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.
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- "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."
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- 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.
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- The widespread destruction of infrastructure has been
decisive in turning popular anger against Israel, rather than Hezbollah.
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- "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."
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- 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."
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- Many who lived through the worst of the civil war in
the eighties blame both.
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- "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."
-
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