No doubt that the crisis resulted of detecting an organizational unit related to Hezbollah operating in the Egyptian territories has raised several issues, and from that statement which believes that the crisis in accordance with its nature is a pivotal point and a fertile environment to monitor political interactions. As by its nature, the crisis Includes interactions' intensity and clarity, which helps the researcher to analyze and evaluate the political phenomenon more accurately. And without addressing the details of the this crisis between Egypt and Hezbollah in itself,
But what was reflected in this crisis and similar crises that there are significant changes in the foreign policy of Hezbollah and how Hezbollah- represented with his Secretary-General- handled several regional files. And the transition from the armed National Resistance Movement and the Careful observer of the regional interactions to the Stage of the Influential regional player, especially after the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 and the remarkable role of Hezbollah in achieving that withdrawal. And these changes become more evident during the crises of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon in 2006 and Gaza in 2008 and in which was reflecting deepest crises in the region, which gives the impression that Crisis is the most distinctive feature of the Arab regional system.
In this report we'll try to specify these changes in the external role of Hezbollah In the light of the need to re-evaluate this role and its impact on the stability of the region , And as an approach for the interpretation of deeper regional shifts followed by the Israeli withdrawal from the south of Lebanon in 2000, In an attempt to answer these old questions - more pressing days after the other- Concerning Hezbollah's Foreign Affairs agenda, his alliances and his aspirations, thus we Will not be addressing the internal role of Hezbollah in Lebanon as much as possible Only in the context of the answer to these questions. It may be important to clarify the Difficulties to take advantage of the decision-making approach in understanding the Hezbollah's foreign decisions towards the other actors as a result of many structural reasons related to the confidential nature of the organizational structure of Hezbollah also considering the goals and interests undeclared for political reasons or security , Therefore, we will adopt the roles approach as a key method of analysis To test some hypotheses Can be summarized as follows:-
• the objectives and policies of the party Changed after the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, Particularly those pressure and challenges imposed by the withdrawal and threatened The presence of the party as resistance movement to the Israeli occupation
• There is a direct correlation between the increase in the party's tactical and propaganda capabilities after the Israeli withdrawal and with the intensity and strength of the roles played by the party regionally ,Also the intensity use of media as Mechanism for maximum benefiting from the military victory To achieve regional political gains and in some cases, as a means of pressure on opponents
• The main party's alliances - especially those with Iran- affected The degree of acceptance of its growing role by the regional and international actors Especially in the regional environment that essentially suffers from conflicting roles and interests
• The region has witnessed a large structural transformation and changes in the power Parallel, also many regional -Arab and non-Arab- roles emerged seeking larger influence, and the remarkable emerging role of non States actors "armed movements or resistance movements". This coincided with the withdrawal of regional traditional roles, all these transformations supported the party's chances to renew and widen its role.
The new international environment:
Maybe these major events that Followed the attacks of 11th of September were Practical indicators for the beginning of a new world order, if not in its structure but There is no question that changes affected its features as A system dominated by the military, and cultural conflicts, an to understand these changes on Hezbollah's role it's very important to summarize the important changes in the surrounding environment internationally and regionally (1).
At the international level
As bush's administration Identified new strategic objectives for its foreign policy after the attacks of 11th of September attacks at the top of these objectives Was the war on terrorism and later spreading democracy ,so The United States directed it's full capacity and influence to build a coalition for its war on terrorism , The United States has begun to implement its new strategy by adding and targeting group of armed movements and regimes in the list of enemies , Which led to an international state of polarization between the United States and its adversaries and opponents of its new foreign policy, also this updated list of the united states' enemies included many Islamic regimes and armed groups which takes Islam as a cover of legitimate ,this played a very noticeable role in increasing the intensity of international polarization and The isolation of the United States in the Islamic world as the majority of Muslims felt that mainly they are targeted by this new American policy, this common feeling was supported and sparked by the Arab regimes as a pressure mean in the face of the U.S. Demands and pressures Concerning democracy and human rights which Represented a security and political threat to these authoritarian elites as This polarization coincided with U.S. pressures on its allies in Arab region which Produced the event of incompatible and sometimes conflicting interests with the new U.S. foreign policy , As well as the rise of Islamic movements and trends as result of these policies (2), also it's Worthwhile to note that the U.S. dependence on military means- as A tool for implementing its foreign policy in the world- increased significantly. This caused a public disagreement with its European allies in addition to the internal pressure of the American society. These policies have produced a more international tension especially in the Middle East beside This resulted the increasing number and size of conflicts and armed groups hostile to the United States or its allies in more than one region of the world Than what might be called the most prominent signs of structural defects in the global system which May threaten the future development of the United States as single pole and hegemonos and could be the Future harvest for the present planting.
At the regional level
With The tendency of the previous U.S. administration for violent solutions or for the consolidation of the creative chaos statues – as called by them-and its Heavy use of the tool of political , military and economic pressures And not the negotiated solutions, This has led to deepening of differences with the United States.
Perhaps the invasion of Iraq in particular is One of the indications of the change of U.S. calculations in the middle east , as the policy of the United States caused a clear process of disrupting the structure of the Arab regional system (3) which became And subjected to increasing penetration from other international and regional actors ,especially With the absence of any common recognition or policies that combines the members of this system regarding to its security, And the weakness and the erosion of its regional organization's role "League of Arab States" .the major powers Dealt with the Arab region in a wider context by establishing the concept of the Middle East Which has not only added parties and targets that were not strongly felt in the region's issues but it adds new problems and conflicts in the region. This coincided with the continuing stalemate in the peace process on both the Palestinian and Syrian sides, As it was apparent that this process has remained on the sidelines of the American strategy of the Bush administration This necessarily led to a severe case of vacuum Resulted from the withdrawal of the U.S. role , this caused the emergence of other actors, whether international or non- States seeking to play a role in the peace process with Means and goals which are different and often incompatible with American interests in the region, one of The implications of the previous premises was The emergence of the Iranian role in the region and its issues Especially with the escalation crisis with Iran over its nuclear program ,also The rise of the Syrian role without isolation of the Iranian role in the alliance has produced both positively. Theses transformations were accompanied by parallel changes in the power balance. To the disadvantage of a strong central traditional in the Arab system like Egypt which caused a withdrawal and a decline in their traditional roles in the region, With the worsening of internal crises in these countries economically, politically or socially, Which give greater space for the aspirations of some marginal countries like Qatar and U.A.E to play bigger roles in the region's issues especially the Palestinian issue.
But the most important note is The emerging role of the non States actors like the armed groups and movements in very clear way in Palestine , Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan and Yemen ,and some of them has a clear impact on the regional level. Changes above With the rule of the polarization and divisions in the region caused a Regional turmoil which motivated and may explain the Stages of change in the external role of Hezbollah As will be seen in the following lines.
Stage of role making and developing from 1982 to 2003:
before the organizational presence of Hezbollah ,it was found this effort made by some of the Shiite religious leaders to improve the situation of the Shiites of Lebanon on the political and development map of Lebanon, Because of the remarkable marginalization suffered by the Shiites of Lebanon for decades, and especially the Shia of south (4) this has inspired young people and especially young Shiite Clergy , before the political appearing in public of the party in 1985 an armed Islamist resistance movement been established To resist the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the same year, the ideological framework of the resistance was deeply Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 Which has supported the resistance logistically at its beginnings , the popularity of the Shiite social movements to which we have previously mentioned like AL MAHROMEEN "deprived" movement it has Played a great role in the popular support that the party found at its early stages, especially among young Shiite people (5). The armed wing of the party made number of operations against Israeli forces and U.S. interests in Lebanon the Notable among these attacks was the destruction of the Marines headquarters in 1983. After the creation of the resistance as a figure with its own peculiarity it has been declared the founding of Hezbollah, a political wing of the resistance in 1985. since the initial years The party was able to balance between military and social activities, the party Started to provide a various social services and development activities to the people and the families of fighters and martyrs By a set of social institutions, and service bodies, which follow the party, In parallel to its armed activities, In response to physical and psychological damage resulting from the confrontation with Israel (6). This has had a clear impact on the ability of the party to continue and to ensure its continued public support, and perhaps this is the lesson that the Palestinian resistance has not benefited from. At the end of the eighties the party had stabilized its position militarily , financially and organizationally, And the Iranian support for Hezbollah increased through military training , armament, logistic and financial support also the Syrian-Iranian alliance provided moral and political in support for the party, even when there were serious conflicts between the Syrian and Iranian views concerning the Lebanese affairs the party dealt effectively with these crises,
It is noted that during a period of the role creation Hezbollah has distanced itself - as much as possible - from involvement in internal Lebanese conflicts ,and Wisely avoided involvement in any roles' conflict with any other Lebanese party except in a few crises represented a threat to its existence or continuation or as Another aspect of the Iranian-Syrian tension on the Lebanese file as the party affirmed that resisting the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory is its main objective, which enabled it To avoid any clashes or internal pressure in the early stages, the party even did not participate in any parliamentary elections till 1992. This rationality and pragmatism marked that stage in the history of Hezbollah. Which strengthen its role as an influential Lebanese actor and the solo controller of the south of Lebanon. The foreign role of the party at that stage can be divided into two periods:
To Be Continued
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