Judging from Sayyid Nasrallah’s speeches it is clear that Hezbollah is not fighting Israel as much as the generalized Arab and Muslim feeling of defeat, humiliation and genuine incompetence. Pay attention, for example, to the way in which Sayyid Nasrallah has defined victory in his typically low-key style, which contrasts sharply with the old-style and bombastic claims of Arab leaders such as Jamal Abdul-Nasser and Saddam Hussein. Sayyid Nasrallah is very clear and precise that Israel cannot be defeated militarily. Hezbollah, he says, “cannot shoot down Israel’s F-16 fighter jets,” but what it can do is bleed Israel’s military forces, harm its economy and extract political concessions, any of which constitutes a victory. Victory, in other words, is a new psychological state for Arabs and Muslims, as well as for the “defeated” Israelis, and bears no relationship to the actual physical or material costs of war. This victory cannot be quantified or calculated and no amount of destruction and killing in Lebanon, or elsewhere in the Middle East, can outweigh its positive value and outcome. It is this psychological aspect to the present war that has so many Arabs and Muslims rallying to Hezbollah’s side—they finally see Arabs who are putting up a real fight against a formidable adversary who had acquired supernatural power in their collective imagination. But does Hezbollah’s resistance really count as a victory or is it merely illusory especially in the long term? Does it constitute anything more than al-Qaeda’s “victory” on 11 September 2001? How will the political map of the Middle East change if Hezbollah is seen to have won this round with Israel? And finally which forces in the United States are benefiting most from this engagement?
I see it a little differently — the Arab support for Hizbullah is not only about the psychological need for a hero, but also related to anger at the Arab regimes’ impotence or collaboration with US-Israeli policy in the region. But the op-ed raises some important questions and is worth reading.
Maybe this is the spin Nasarallah puts on it for the Arab viewer.
But Iran and Assad have hard goals in mind. They don’t wage war, and take risks, so Arabs can feel good about themselves.
This is an excellant column though.
Post script:
It’s about power. It’s almost always about power. When Politicians preach to people about dignity, it’s a cover for a grasp for power.
via http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD123406“ rel=”nofollow”>MEMRI
Yahya Rabbah, former PLO Ambassador to Yemen and columnist for the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, wrote: “The Palestinian resistance forces [i.e. Hamas] took political decision[-making] hostage from the Palestinian political framework [i.e. the PLO]; the Lebanese resistance forces – Hizbullah – took political decision[-making] hostage from the Lebanese [government]. The resistance forces here [in the PA] and there [in Lebanon] led to both of the political regimes, the Palestinian and Lebanese, having to pay a high price, even though they did not know what was going on, and even though they were not given even the smallest chance to manage the crisis that was caused by the two actions.
“In other words, the roles of the two regimes were expropriated, their legitimacy was sidestepped, and they were left irrelevant to what was going on. The resistance forces here and there took hostage the role of the regimes in the Arab states, and left them [i.e. the regimes] standing confused and impotent, almost completely paralyzed… All of this [was carried out] via a regional coalition axis, stretching from Gaza to southern Lebanon, to Damascus, to Tehran.”
“This victory cannot be quantified or calculated and no amount of destruction and killing in Lebanon, or elsewhere in the Middle East, can outweigh its positive value and outcome. “
Excellent column, though I would hate to think that Hebollah is engaged in this degree of cynical reasoning. If so, it’s doubtful that the families of those killed would agree that their deaths make them feel better about Arab supremacy. Given a choice, I imagine many of them would prefer to have their family members back.
Hezbollah is fighting a myth and arab imagination but real people are getting killed in the middle. Israel is a tiny country of just 7 million people (includint 20% Arabs) – the fact hundreds of millions of Arabs can’t win against it should make them think about the reasons of Israel superiority : democracy, freedom, capitalism, high technology, education. And try to adopt the same patterns. That is the only way to bring peace.
Michael the troll,
I guess unlimited access to US arsenals is also a plus. That and the world turning a blind eye to your nuclear weapons program.
“…the fact hundreds of millions of Arabs can’t win …”
Just on a technical point, but Israel is only fighting Lebanon right now, so that would be 4 million Arabs… and I guess you can throw in the Gaza folk, so that’s another million. Let’s say then that Israel is fighting about 5 million arabs… Looks like according to your figures, Israel actually outnumbers its opponents.
Aside of course from the vast technological edge, of course.
Excellent rebuttal Paul and Cosmic with the bit about the weapons.
You do have to agree with Micheal on one thing though, I wish our countries had Democracy, Freedom, a high-level of education and the technology.
I would throw capitalism in the trash.
As for that being the reason Micheal… I don’t know what to say. Excuse me Issandr for making this point on your blog, in a comment, but I feel I must:
What’s with all those foreigners (non-arabs) who choose to judge what’s happening in the Arab world based on the stuff they pick up from main-stream US media AKA Fox News & CNN. Are you serious?
How’s about asking first what might the possible reasons Israel still exists as a country today? Maybe it’s because of the *cough US cough*? Maybe because all the Arab leaders are chicken sh*t coz you can’t kiss US ass and fight Israel at the same time?
What are you on about man?!
Seems to me that Hizbullah is very aware of the limitation of guerillas. Kissinger famously said “The insurgents win if they don’t loose” (or soemthing to that effect), which is also backed up by countless academic research into the subject. One of the things that almost all low intensity conflicts have in common is that the guerillas force (by virtue of them being the fish in the people sea) their opponent to use excessive violence and target the civilian infrastructure (which will be the same infrastructure the guerilla uses) resulting in massive suffering and deprivaion, but also a unified front against whoever the guerillas are fighting against. Etc. etc. etc.
From reading the op-ed it seems to me that Hizbullah is very aware of their limitations, and that their definition of victory is based on an understanding of Che, General Giap and Mao. Now, whether they actually wanted the”shock and awe” reprisals from Israel is uncertain, but by no means unlikely.
Michael,
a country that states a religious identity first and foremost as its definition is not a democracy because that definition excludes anyone who is not of that faith (or cultural identification) from full participation. Americans want to look at Israel and see a mini-example of themselves reflected back, but when carefully constructed second-class status is conferred upon a certain section of the population, draconian rules regarding marriage, etc. are enforced- especially in the light of no constitution, the argument that Israel is truly a democracy in the sense that Americans see democracy is a weak one at best.
Dear zazou,
1. Israel identity is not based on religion but on a national identity. Jews are a Nation that has a religion. Many Jews are atheist and proud Jews. The Zionist movement was and still is mainly a secular movement.
2. All citizens of Israel are equal whether Jews, Arabs etc…
3. UK has no constitution. USSR had the most democratic constitution in the world. No need to explain.
Israel is one of the most democratic country in the world. Israeli press is recognized as the freest in the western world, almost every group is represented in the parliament, you can do and say more or less whatever you want even when it’s illegal – nothing will happen. The Israeli Supreme Court is the most powerful Supreme Court in the world and leans (very) strongly on the left/liberal side.
Cosmic and Paul. It seems to me that the conflict between Israel and the Arabs did not start on the 12th of July 2006 and there had been some wars between this country and all its neighbourgs. Regarding the technological edge – that was exactly my point: Israel has a technological edge because it is a modern and free country.
OK I am very confused.
The Hezbollah fight and hide behind women and children because they can’t fight in the open if they did they would die. How are they any representation of the arabic culture. I was not aware most arabs prefer to fight with thier wifes in front of them. Or lift a weapon and fire then leave thier son or daughter to take the return fire. The Hezbollah are cowards and dogs. They are the cause of Lebanons problems. If they were men and wanted to make a true statement they would attack Israel and take the repercussions themselves.
Hezbollah defines victory as a little girl would.
1. find favor among peers
2. try to get the attention of a larger wealthier patron
3. make sure no one sees thier face
These are the main Hezbollah objectives. I would say in thier world they have won. But in the Arab community they are stripping the manhood of future generations.
Ummm… Michael…
Iraq had a technological edge in the Iran-Iraq war for much the same reason Israel does… Western countries chose to arm it to the teeth. And you can bet that wasn’t because it was a “free” country.
Kesslyn,
Hezbollah fights like any other guerilla force historically in the world. When a weaker agent can’t achive symmetry with their foe, they have to fight asymmetrically. This happened in the American Revolution, the fight against Apartheid, the Jewish underground against British rule in Mandated Palestine (Irgun e.g.), the Vietcong/Minh, IRA in Northern Ireland, NFL in Algeria, insurgents in Iraq to day and the list could go on and on. I am sure Hezbollah would ike to fight Israel on equal terms, nothing better than achieving symmetry, but they can’t. Israel is the 4th largest military power on this planet (backed by US, the most powerful). Do you really expect guerillas to stand up in a line and march towards IDF soldiers??? For that matter, why do you think that IDF uses helicopters, fighter jets, artillery etc.? Why don’t they just send in waves of humans straight at the Hezbollah, at least they wouldn’t be cowardly then… If the situation had been reversed (i.e. a powerful Lebanon and weak Israel) then Israeli guerillas would have fought exactly the same way BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO WIN for the insurgent.
michael and kesslyn
am neither an arab nor a jew, so i can look at this from almost a neutral point of view and honestly speaking, i find the israili response quite barbaric.
I am not the one who will justify Hizbollah’s action by any stretch of imagination and above all their hitting civilians in
northern israel.
However, what do you say about the thousands of children and women being bombed day in and day out by one of the largest and probably the best (with USA support) air foce in the world.
U call hizbollah coward by saying they r fighting from civilian areas but what do u say about dropping tonnes of bombs from the air to these civilian population. If israel wasnt coward, they should have gone and fought with the hizbollah army on equal front on the ground but they did not do so.
In the end i would only say may god bring peace to the region. amen
Israeli laws on citizenship and marriage is not secret for the rest of the world… Even for people who do not read articles, but watch Tv, e.g. NTV MIR. I saw such reports:
THE RIGHT TO MARRY (article of IRAC)
Israel’s freeze of familiy unification in the Occupied Territories splits tens of thousands of Palestinian families
Report, B’Tselem/HaMoked, 15 August 2006″
“6-5 Majority of Supreme Court Approves Most Racist Law in State of Israel”, Report, Adalah, 14 May 2006
19/07/2004: Racist legislation (haaretz)