I cannot make it a short explanation, but I will try to summarize some of the political, religious and historical issues.
UN resolution 1559 called for Israel to withdraw their troops, and in return the Lebanese government agreed to disarm Hezbollah. Israel withdrew their troops in 2000. To date Lebanon has taken no action against Hezbollah, and in doing so has allowed Hezbollah to strengthen their position in the south.
Israel is bombing Hezbollah militia forces which were situated in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah is Arabic Øزب "hezb" means party and اÙÙÙ "Allah" is the Arabic (not Muslim only) word for God. Therefore, Hezbollah means the Party of God. Hezbollah are fighting in jihad/qitl fee sybil Allah (jihad/killing in the path of God.) In the Qur'an this type of jihad is mandatory for a Muslim.
Hezbollah is an umbrella organization of Shiite Muslims founded in early 1982 to combat Israeli, French and American troops stationed in Lebanon. Iran and Syria supply Hezbollah with funding, weapons and training. Syria admits supporting Hezbollah, but denies arming the group.
On July 28, Syrian air defense batteries ambushed and shot down an Israeli spy drone flying on the Lebanese side of the border with Syria. These drones have been used to “paint” the weapons convoys heading in from Syria, for the Israeli air force to hit them before they can reach their destinations and replenish Hezbollah stockpiles. This time, the Syrians knocked the drone out of the sky to allow a large consignment of rocket launchers and truckloads of rockets to cross into Lebanon undetected and safe from Israeli air attack.
Hezbollah has complex objectives. This war will cost it dearly, but it has been preparing for this for a generation
Hezbollah bridges the deep division between Syrian secularity and Iranian religiosity. Syria's interests and Iran's interests differ. Hezbollah's interests differ from those of its patrons.
Hezbollah has business interests in legal and illegal businesses around the world. It has interests within Lebanese politics and it has interests in Palestinian politics. As a Syrian client, it looks at the region as one entity. As an Iranian client, it looks to create a theocratic state in the region.
Hezbollah’s official rhetoric calls for the destruction of Israel and its replacement with an Islamist Palestinian government. Sinilarly, Hezbollah sought to replace Lebanon’s secular government with an Iranian-style Islamic government.
What Hezbollah wants is political power in Lebanon and among the Palestinians, and freedom for action within the context of Syrian-Iranian relations.
As an entity in its own right, Hezbollah must keep itself going. If it can avoid utter calamity, it will have won -- if not by defeating Israel, then by putting itself first among the anti-Israeli forces.
It is the most effective force opposing Israel. Hezbollah's job is to survive and hurt Israel and the IDF as long as possible. That is what this war is about for Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has pursued a political and religious agenda that centers on the destruction of Israel and opposition to the United States and that has been carried out through terrorism against Israeli and Western targets. (In 1983 Hezbollah killed 241 US marines in Beirut.)
Hezbollah are Shiite Muslims as are most Lebanese, Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians and some Yemenis, Pakistanis and Bahrainians. Diplomatic efforts are aimed at getting the Sunni Muslim countries to negotiate. This includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Hezbollah is not the government of Lebanon
Hezbollah's spiritual leader is Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, and its senior political leader is Secretary-General Hassan Nazrallah (nicknamed Abu Hadi). Its military arm is known as Islamic Resistance.
After Syria withdrew its trooops, Hezbollah was able to step into the power breach created by Lebanon’s weak secular government. Hezbollah gained popular support by providing social services such as hospitals and schools for Lebanese Shiites.
The war began at Hezbollah's time and choosing. Military analysts say that the way the Israel-Hezbollah war has been prosecuted up until Friday, July 28, is more likely to bring Nassrallah closer to his war objectives than Olmert.
Hezbollah gains from maximizing civilian casualties on BOTH the Israeli and Lebanese sides.
Hezbollah maximizes Israeli civilian casualties when they launch Syrian and Iranian designed antipersonnel missiles with ball-bearing shrapnel. Furthermore, in Lebanon, Hezbollah deliberately operates military wings out of densely populated areas to maximize Lebanese casualties and gain media attention through gruesome pictures of maimed children.
Hezbollah's Operation True Promise on July 12, was a forray into Sha'ba farms, an area which is claimed by both Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah killed 4 Israeli soldiers and captured two others (Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev). The kidnappings presented a serious problem for Israel, but could not, by themselves, define the geopolitical issue. That definition came when Hezbollah rockets struck Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, on July 13. There were also claims coming from Hezbollah, and confirmed by Israeli officials, that Hezbollah had missiles available that could reach Tel Aviv. Israel's population is concentrated in the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem corridor and in the Tel Aviv-Haifa corridor. In effect, Hezbollah had attained the ability to strike at the Israeli heartland. Hezbollah has been hitting the northern part of this heartland, as well as pounding Israel's northern frontier.
According to reports, Hezbollah forces are dispersed in multiple bunker complexes and are launching rockets from these and other locations. Hezbollah strategy is to draw Israeli troops as deeply into Lebanon as possible, forcing them to fight on extended supply lines. Hezbollah's will tie down the Israelis as long as possible first in the area south of the Litani River and then north in the Bekaa. It can, and will, continue to rocket Haifa from further north. It will inflict casualties and draw the Israelis further north.
In order to destroy Hezbollah's infrastructure, Israeli troops must move into the Bekaa Valley and as far as the southern suburbs of Beirut. Israeli forces have pushed forward from the mountaintop village of Maroun er Ras captured Sunday to the fringes of Bint Jubeil, Hizballah’s south Lebanese capital. After losing at Bint Jubeil, Hezbollah abandoned conventional fighting, fled underground and re-emerged as a guerrilla group, inflicting casualties on the Israelis wearing them down.
In a military engagement just over the border of Lebanon Israeli soldiers of the Egoz regiment discovered one of the many fortified bunkers holding the large arsenal of missiles currently raining upon Israeli towns in the North. Hezbollah is using Viet Cong-style guerrilla warfare out of hundreds of small bunkers scattered across the country. In addition, Hezbollah borrowed camouflage techniques that the Japanese used in the 1945 Iwo Jima battle. In the first ten days of the war, therefore, the Israeli air force bombed out empty Hizballah premises in South Beirut and Baalbek, but missed the moving woods and vegetation which concealed the rocket launchers.
Hezbollah rockets struck Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, on July 13. Hezbollah has mainly been using Kassam and Ketuysha rockets to bombard northern Israel. On July 17 Hezbollah used an Iran-made radar-guided C-802 shore-to-sea missile of the Silkworm family to disable the Israeli state-of-the-art warship, Ahi-Hanit, which was shelling Beirut airport. On July 18 Hezbollah used a longer range missile which it calls, Khaibar-1 (after Mohammed’s battle with the Jews of Medina). This is probably one of the Zelzal missiles. It has not yet used its Fajr missiles. Hezbollah has indicated that it will bombard Tel-Aviv, Israel with 500 missiles.
It is important to understand some historical background. First almost all Muslim Arabs opposed the creation of the state of Israel. Not all of them supported, or support today, the creation of an independent Palestinian state or recognize the Palestinian people as a distinct nation. This is a vital and usually overlooked distinction that is the starting point in our thinking.
When Israel was founded, three distinct views emerged among Arabs.
The first was that Israel was a part of the British mandate created after World War I and therefore should have been understood as part of an entity stretching from the Mediterranean to the other side of Jordan, from the border of the Sinai, north to Mount Hermon. Therefore, after 1948, the West Bank became part of the other part of the mandate, Jordan.
There was a second view that argued that there was a single province of the Ottoman Empire called Syria and that all of this province -- what today is Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and the country of Syria -- is legitimately part of it. This obviously was the view of Syria, whose policy was and in some ways continues to be that Syria province, divided by Britain and France after World War I, should be reunited under the rule of Damascus.
A third view emerged after the establishment of Israel, pioneered by Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt. This view was that there is a single Arab nation that should be gathered together in a United Arab Republic. This republic would be socialist, more secular than religious and, above all, modernizing, joining the rest of the world in industrialization and development.
All of these three views rejected the existence of Israel, but each had very different ideas of what ought to succeed it. The many different Palestinian groups that existed after the founding of Israel and until 1980 were not simply random entities. They were, in various ways, groups that straddled these three opinions, with a fourth added after 1967 and pioneered by Yasser Arafat. This view was that there should be an independent Palestinian state, that it should be in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, extend to the original state of Israel and ultimately occupy Jordan as well. That is why, in September 1970, Arafat tried to overthrow King Hussein in Jordan. For Arafat, Amman, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were all part of the Palestinian homeland.
After the Iranian revolution, a fifth strain emerged. This strain made a general argument that the real issue in the Islamic world was to restore religious-based government. This view opposed the pan-Arab vision of Nasser with the pan-Islamic vision of Khomeini. It regarded the particular nation-states as less important than the type of regime they had. This primarily Shiite view was later complemented by what was its Sunni counterpart. Rooted partly in Wahhabi Sunni religiosity and partly in the revolutionary spirit of Iran, its view was that the Islamic nation-states were the problem and that the only way to solve it was a transnational Islamic regime -- the caliphate -- that would restore the power of the Islamic world.
The Sunni-Shiite fault line had become venomous. Tensions not only in Iraq, but also in Afghanistan and Pakistan were creating a transnational civil war between these two movements. Iran was positioning itself to replace al Qaeda as the revolutionary force in the Islamic world and was again challenging Saudi Arabia as the center of gravity of Islamic religiosity.
Muslims want to rid the world of fitnah. Qutb, an Islamic scholar, writes that the world would be a utopia under Islamic theocracy. Islam is a political as well as a religious system.
Qur'an [Surah Al-Anfãl (8):39] {Eng, Arc, transliteration}:
So fight them (unbelievers) until there is no more fitnah (disbelief or worship of any god but Allah) and all submit to the religion of Allah alone (in the whole world)" ... "And fight with them until there is no more fitnah (persecution) and religion should be only for Allah
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Waqatiloohum hatta la takoona fitnatun wayakoona alddeenu kulluhu lillahi fa-ini intahaw fa-inna Allaha bima yaAAmaloona baseerun
Allah commands deeds of terror by the believers against the unbelievers as the means of creating the emotion of terror in their hearts. The only reason needed for action is that "they resisted Allah and His Messenger". Such an approach to "conflict management" is nothing to be ashamed about according to Islamic understanding, but it is a basis for pride. According to Islam, it is one reason for the superiority of Muhammad over all other prophets.
Qur'an [Surah Ãli-´Imrãn (3):151]
We will throw terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, since they set up besides GOD powerless idols. Their destiny is Hell; what a miserable abode for the transgressors! (Khalifa trans.)
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Sanulqee fee quloobi allatheena kafaroo alrruAAba bima ashrakoo biAllahi ma lam yunazzil bihi sultanan wama/wahumu alnnaru wabi/sa mathwa alththalimeena
Qur'an [Surah Al-Anfãl (8):12-13]
Recall that your Lord inspired the angels: "I am with you; so support those who believed. I will throw terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved. You may strike them above the necks, and you may strike even every finger. This is what they have justly incurred by fighting GOD and His messenger. For those who fight against GOD and His messenger, GOD's retribution is severe.(Khalifa trans.)
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Ith yoohee rabbuka ila almala-ikati annee maAAakum fathabbitoo allatheena amanoo saolqee fee quloobi allatheena kafaroo alrruAAba faidriboo fawqa al-aAAnaqi waidriboo minhum kulla bananin. Thalika bi-annahum shaqqoo Allaha warasoolahu waman yushaqiqi Allaha warasoolahu fa-inna Allaha shadeedu alAAiqabi
Qur'an [Surah Al-Anfãl (8): 59-60]
Let not the unbelievers think that they can get the better (of the godly): they will never frustrate (them). Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of God and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom God doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of God, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly. (Yusuf Ali trans.)
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Wala yahsabanna allatheena kafaroo sabaqoo innahum la yuAAjizoona. WaaAAiddoo lahum ma istataAAtum min quwwatin wamin ribati alkhayli turhiboona bihi AAaduwwa Allahi waAAaduwwakum waakhareena min doonihim la taAAlamoonahumu Allahu yaAAlamuhum wama tunfiqoo min shay-in fee sabeeli Allahi yuwaffa ilaykum waantum la tuthlamoona
Petroleum is not a natural resource of Lebanon. The Sidon terminal is the site of a large, mordern electrical power station and a modest petroleum importing terminal. Its natural resources are: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land.
Substantial receipts from donor nations stabilized Lebanese government finances in 2003, but did little to reduce the debt, which stands at nearly 170% of GDP. In 2004 the Hariri government issued Eurobonds in an effort to manage maturing debt. The downturn in economic activity that followed the assassination of Rafiq al-Hariri has eased, but has yet to be reversed. Tourism remains below the level of 2004. The new Prime Minister, Fuad Siniora, has pledged to push ahead with economic reform, including privatization and more efficient government.
Dr. Ayman Zawahri (za WAH ri), is a leader of Al-Qaida, (Sunni Muslims). He has declared, as may other Muslim militant leaders, that the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel meets the conditions for jihad fee sybil Allah and that it is incumbent for all Muslims to join the fight. Otherwise, there are many sectarian differences between the Sunni Al-Qaida Muslims and the Shiite Hezbollah Muslims. However, for the cause in Lebanon they may join forces to fight against Israel.
Qur'an [Sura Al-Qasas (28):39] {Eng, Ar, transliteration}:
Permission (to fight) is given to those upon whom war is made because they are oppressed, and most surely Allah is well able to assist them; (Shakir trans.)
Permission to take up arms is given to those against whom war is made, because they have been wronged and ALLAH, indeed, has power to help them (Sher Ali trans.).
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Othina lillatheena yuqataloona bi-annahum thulimoo wa-inna Allaha AAala nasrihim laqadeerun
Qur'an [Surah al-Hujurat (49):15]
Mumim (true Muslims) believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and without doubt they strive in the cause of Allah( jihad fee Sybil Allah) with their wealth and their lives. Those! They are the sincere.
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Innama almu/minoona allatheena amanoo biAllahi warasoolihi thumma lam yartaboo wajahadoo bi-amwalihim waanfusihim fee sabeeli Allahi ola-ika humu alssadiqoona
The war conference is attended also by Hamas leaders Khaled Meshaal and Mussa Abu Marzouk as well as the Palestinian Jihad Islami chief Abdallah Ramadan Shelah. The Palestinian terrorist leaders were invited in their capacity as commanders of the second front against Israel in Gaza.
This anti-Israel coalition will no doubt decide on the two fronts’ next steps in their war against the “Zionist enemy.” The fact that Assad is there and the consultation is taking place in his capital indicates that he and the other participants feel confident enough to decide on a further escalation of the violence.
On Friday, July 28, Hezbollah's leader, Nazrallah, attended a conference in Damascus. Also in attendance were Hamas leaders Khaled Meshaal and Mussa Abu Marzouk as well as the Palestinian Jihad Islami chief Abdallah Ramadan Shelah. The Palestinian terrorist leaders were invited in their capacity as commanders of the second front against Israel in Gaza. The fact that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Assad called the meeting in his capital at Damascus, indicates that he and the other participants feel confident enough to decide on a further escalation of the violence.
No one wins in a war. Property can be restored, but even a lifetime is not long enough to resolve grief over a lost loved one.
Since Muslims, Jews and Christians believe in the messiah, maybe praying for the messiah to come and bring lasting peace before the world destroys itself would be a win-win-win solution.