Should The US Take Some Of The Blame For The Creation Of Hezbollah
By Austin Erickson on January 30, 2011, 10:34 am
However unfavorable a Hezbollah-backed government in Lebanon may be, the United States and Israel have to take some responsibility for the creation of Hezbollah and its rise. The militant Hezbollah was created in response to Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, which used brutal tactics even the Israeli public found distasteful. And Israel’s use of a minor Hezbollah raid into Israel in 2006 as an excuse to launch a month-long “deterrent” war against all of Lebanon ended up strengthening Hezbollah politically in Lebanon. In fact, Hezbollah got plaudits from the entire Muslim world for withstanding the onslaught from the much more powerful Israeli military and later merely rebuilt its forces back to a stronger state than before the conflict.
Makhoul
Prior to his sentencing Makhoul spoke out saying: “Any sentence will be considered in my eyes to be cruel and vindictive against the Arab population and its legitimate battle here and across the world. The court must prove whether they are a courthouse or the Shin Bet, a place of justice or the backyard of the Shin Bet. I’ve admitted to the charges as part of a forced reality, and I intend to continue my legitimate work for the Palestinian population in Israel.”
Iranian-Backed
The Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah denied Thursday that it placed any demands on the billionaire businessman it chose to become prime minister of Lebanon. Hezbollah and its allies toppled Lebanon’s Western-backed government two weeks ago and secured enough support in parliament to name Najib Mikati as their pick for prime minister. Critics have expressed concern that Mikati will be beholden to the militant group’s demands – something Mikati has also denied.”We did not give a list of conditions to Prime Minister Mikati” the head of Hezbollah’s 12-member bloc in parliament said. “What we asked for is a national partnership and a national salvation government in which everyone cooperates for the interest of the country.” Mikati has emphasized that he wants a unity government and will not do the bidding of any one side in Lebanon’s fractious politics.
