Opinion
Hezbollah's test
Randa Haidar
Published: 21.02.13, 19:59
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18 Talkbacks for this article
1. For now Hezbollah will have to deal...
Maurice ,   Montreal   (02.21.13)
...with the Syrian opposition which is very angry at Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian civil war. Already there have been rumors of attacks by the Syrian opposition on Hezbollah as retaliation. Hezbollah is in deeeeep sh-t!
2. Ms. Haidar covert war since when? 2006 you say!
Sarita Montiel ,   Israel   (02.21.13)
I am not sure which narrative you have been following on this topic, but I do believe that to cite July 2006 as the beginning of a "covert shadow war" between Hezbollah and Israel is to cite a very late date indeed! I can assure you that Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in a bellicose situation since at least the 1990s. May I suggest that you read other more veteran analysts on both sides of the narrative in order to clearly learn how it is that to cite the year 2006 as a starting point for this conflict is a grievous error.
3. The author overlooks quite a bit
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (02.21.13)
Hezbollah could give a fig about Lebanon. If they did, they wouldn't disrupt their lives, cordon off towns and run roughshod over civilians by deliberately putting them in harm's way. Moreover, Hezbollah is a terrorist proxy of Iran. They're not interested in power-sharing with the Lebanese. It is not provocation to state publicly and make it very clear that Israel will view any attempt by Syria to transfer weapons to Hezbollah would be met with an Israeli response. Syria tried to transfer weapons to Hezbollah. Israel -- as it said it would -- responded. It is against international law to fund and arm a terrorist organization. Hezbollah is viewed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, Canada, Australia and some other nations hedge their bets by saying they only view Hezbollah's military arm to be a terrorist organization. I don't think the arms shipment by the Syrians was destined for Hezbollah's so-called "political arm." No organization needs a private army. Hezbollah is nothing more than a rogue group of terrorists.
4. Israel's self-defence is a provocation?
Ian ,   Newcastle upon Tyne   (02.21.13)
Reading the drivel from this Lebanese analyst I can get some feeling of what it must have been like living in a Jewish ghetto;always frightened to defend yourself in case you make things worse for yourself. Well,those days are over and its about time that the Jew-haters caught up and came to terms with it. Putting that aside,this is a breathtaking example of double-talk.The provocation was clearly by the Syrian government which was acting in breach of UNSC Resolution 1701 which prohibits transfer of armaments to Hizbollah. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!
5. Hezbollah or Hasbeen-ollah
Sammy ,   Newcastle   (02.21.13)
The beginning of the end of this South Lebanon tragedy Because this is what thousands upon thousands of ordinary Lebanese as well as Anti Hezbollah Militias ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW Any attack on Israel initiated by these Terrorists that result in Lebanese Civilian deaths - will be seen by AS AN ATTACK BY HEZBOLLAH ON LEBANON So you wonder where this so called journalist digs up his facts....from out of the backside of Nasrallah?-
6. Restraint ?
Get Real ,   UK   (02.21.13)
Israel strikes in Syria so why should Hezbollah retaliate ? No need to answer. If Syria retaliates why should Lebanon fear. No need to answer. When a victor emerges in Syria perhaps that is the time for Lebanon, as host to Hezbollah,to fear?
7. 1.Rubbish Syrian opposition = Mossad/QSAIM
lydia ,   Brisbane   (02.22.13)
None elected foreign fighters and Mercenaries. A bunch of useless tist hell bent on mass murder and mayhem. The ''coalition of the dummies' got their assess handed to them in Afghanistan and Iraq and In Libya in spite of NATO bombing the place to smithereens, 'to liberate Libya' are the same bunch of terrorists armed with weapons supplied by the 'coalition' who rocketed the US Embassy in Bengazi and murdered Amb. Stevens. Heads they win, tail you lose
8. u have great fear
observer ,   culver city, ca   (02.22.13)
Everywhere I turn I see that you fear them.
9. To: No. 8
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (02.22.13)
Israel? Fear Hezbollah? Is that why Nasrallah lives in a bunker thirty feet underground? Because Israel "fears" him? You have it all backwards. Besides, don't you remember an incident a few years ago when a missile was fired into Israel from southern Lebanon? Nasrallah fell all over himself hastening to inform Israel that it wasn't the fault of Hezbollah. And how about all the "unexploded Israeli ordnance" that seems to have an uncanny knack for blowing up in Hezbollah weapons depots? How about all those shipments of arms that never quite make it to Lebanon -- whether by sea or overland? Israel is not afraid of Hezbollah. But they need to be very, very afraid of Israel, and the day Israel loses its extraordinary patience.
10. @8 u r a blind observer...
Just Sayin' ,   Israel   (02.22.13)
The citizens of Israel have survived countless terrorist attacks and wars and we are still here...we live in our country as free men and women and we are happy to be in our homeland. We recognize that our path is not easy and we work at living well every day. But mostly it is important for you to know that WE DO NOT LIVE IN FEAR! We live in AWE of the Mighty and Merciful G-d of Israel who protects us and we thank Him daily for providing us with our own homeland and with the Israel Defense Forces. We live with PRIDE in our Israel Defense Forces. Kol HaKavod L'Tzahal! (All honor to the IDF)
11. Sarah of #9
Cameron ,   USA   (02.22.13)
"extraordinary patience" Hmmm That's one term for Israeli posture these days. "spooked half-measures" or "apathetic" might serve as well. Was not impressed with recent Israeli "extraordinary patience" when the bearded tin can militias of Gaza were busy bombarding towns & cities.
12. Syria & Lebanon still at war w/ Israel
Bob ,   USA   (02.23.13)
The world conveniently forgets that Lebanon and Syria (and others) declared war on Israel at it's creation in 1948 and that state of war is still in full effect. The failure to negotiate a peace treaty or even an armistice has very real consequences. One of those is that THEY ARE STILL AT WAR, stupids.. Israel needs no excuse to bomb the crap out of Syria (and Lebanon) if it so chooses and it is perfectly within it's rights. The fact is that those countries live at the sufferance of Israel's magnanimity. If they don't like it, they can negotiate a peace treaty anytime they like. Or NOT.
13. # 8 in Culver City
Eaglebeak ,   Left Coast, USA   (02.23.13)
They are like cockroaches...... something to be gotten rid of but not feared.
14. to #4
graczek ,   Maryland, USA   (02.24.13)
It's not that Israel's self-defense is a provocation. It's that Israel's illegitimate existence is THE provocation.
15. #4
graczek ,   Maryland, USA   (02.24.13)
The provocation is not Israel's self-defense. The provocation is Israel's illegitimate existence.
16. To: No. 11
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (02.24.13)
Would you prefer that we roll right over them with the full faith and credit -- which is considerable -- of the IDF? To hell with civilian casualties? Oh, we can. Of that you can be certain. If we have to, we will. We can bomb them right back to the Stone Age, just as NATO has done in Iraq and Afghanistan. But whereas no one pays attention to the millions of civilian dead in Iraq and Afghanistan as a result, I assure you that PLENTY of attention will be paid to Israel if so much as two civilians and their pet turtle die as a result of Israel defending itself and ensuring its security. Certain countries -- i.e., NATO members -- can act with impunity. Certain countries -- i.e., Israel -- cannot. Trust me -- I'm all for destroying Lebanon and destroying Gaza. I'm tired of having to live cheek by jowl with terrorist scum. The issue is, do we really have to sell our security requirements to the world? I don't think we do. The international community appears to think differently. Just another form of anti-Semitism, but the Europeans and others are too stupid -- or too unwilling -- to assess themselves and their reasoning. But I assure you that if push comes to shove, international opinion will come in a sad second best to Israel's security concerns and its affirmative obligation to protect and defend its citizens (most of which happen to be Jewish).
17. Sarah of #16
Cameron ,   USA   (02.24.13)
Spare me the self-indulgent ranting about world opinion & civilian casualties, and ACT truly decisively. You've been pussy-footing around & playin' games with these fanatical ding-dong "fiefdoms" on your doorstep for years, and it's brought you to the point where they're now starting to hammer your towns & cities. The last strange "rocket war" with Gaza was just a mild taste as to what the near future will undoubtedly bring. It always comes down to the sharp edge of the sword in the ME. Bottom line: do them before they do you.
18. #16 'Sarah B'
Sarah B ,   Tel Aviv/London   (02.25.13)
You don't live cheek by jowl with terrorist scum. You live in West Virginia, your son is going to go to Oxford University in England. Which is why you are so keen on starting wars, that your son will never have to fight, and will not affect you in any way shape or form. You are what is known in military circles as an armchair general.
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