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Hezbollah
Hezbollah and the Recent Conflict
Posted: September 29, 2006
Hezbollah, a Shiite terrorist organization based in South Lebanon, began its latest campaign against Israel on July 12, 2006, when it entered Israeli sovereign territory and killed eight Israeli soldiers and kidnapped two others.
In response to Hezbollah's attack, Israel undertook the task of removing the Hezbollah threat from its border and crippling the military capabilities of the group, whose stated goals include the destruction of the Jewish State.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, claimed the kidnapping was planned five months ago in order to force Israel to trade Lebanese prisoners for the soldiers. Nasrallah also pledged further "surprises" for Israel.
The last time Hezbollah carried out a similar operation against Israel was in October of 2000, when an Israeli businessman and three Israeli soldiers were abducted. Hezbollah released the businessman and the bodies of three soldiers in 2004 in exchange for more than 400 prisoners and 59 bodies of Lebanese fighters.
The arsenal that Hezbollah used against Israel illustrates the extent to which the terrorist group has succeeded in acquiring weapons from Iran and Syria, which have backed the group since its founding in 1982. Hezbollah fired about 4,000 rockets into Israel during the 34-day conflict.
Despite the Israeli army's withdrawal from its buffer zone in South Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah has refused to relinquish its arms and continues to attack Israel. For its part, the Lebanese government refers to Hezbollah as a "national resistance group," despite the fact that Hezbollah's continued activity in South Lebanon is a violation of U.N. Resolution 1559 and now Resolution 1701.
The Cessation of Hostilities
A United Nations-brokered cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel began on August 14, 2006 in the form of U.N. Resolution 1701, which calls on the Lebanese government to secure its borders, prevent the import of any weapons not authorized by the government, and dismantle any non-state militias operating in its territory. The resolution also calls for Hezbollah to release the two Israeli soldiers it kidnapped in July.
As part of the agreement, the Lebanese army plans to deploy 15,000 troops into southern Lebanon, and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will be expanded from 2,000 to 15,000. This international force will replace IDF troops currently in control of the area. As the IDF withdraws, the international force will simultaneously assume control.
During a rally in southern Beirut on September 22, 2006, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told the crowd that Hezbollah has more than 20,000 rockets and would not disarm, despite the requirements of numerous United Nations resolutions.
Several small clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers have taken place since the cessation of hostilities began, but there have been no large-scale violations.
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