[News] Lebanonizing Hezbollah or the obverse?

[Anti-Imperialist News]

Franklin Lamb – Lebanonizing Hezbollah or the 
obverse? Updating Resistance Projects

By 
<http://palestinethinktank.com/author/guest-post/>Guest 
Post • Dec 1st, 2009 at 13:19
http://palestinethinktank.com/2009/12/01/franklin-lamb-lebanonizing-hezbollah-or-the-obverse-updating-resistance-projects/

Dahiyeh, South Beirut - Like many liberation and 
resistant movement ‘Manifestos’  ‘Charters’ or 
‘Declarations’ issued to the public early in its 
founding – the African National Congress, 
Palestine Liberation Organization, Hamas, 
Algerian FLN, and various “Sons of Liberty” 
groups during the American Revolution, come to 
mind­Hezbollah has been criticized by its 
detractors over the years for some language in 
its 1985 “Open Letter” manifesto.  Some  have 
urged Hezbollah to remove ‘controversial 
language” such as the call for an Islamic 
Republic in Lebanon – even though the Party has 
made clear that establishing an Islamic Republic 
of Lebanon is no longer a priority and 
emphasizing that Lebanon’s diversity is 
respected,  valued and permanent.  Others have 
called Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto ‘too religious” 
and too dogmatic for a broad international appeal political document.

Background to Hezbollah’s issuing yesterday’s “rebirth” Manifesto

Ideas for Hezbollah’s original 1985 Manifesto 
evolved over 30 months following the 1982 Israeli 
invasion of Lebanon, during which the new 
resistance movement worked to establish itself in 
the turbulent period of military invasions, 
occupations and numerous internal and external 
conspiracies against it. Many secret discussions 
were held concerning all manner of subjects 
including what the new organization would be 
called. Many favored the name “The Islamic 
Movement of Lebanon” but before the matter came 
up for a vote, another of the  more than 20 
new  local resistance groups  preempted that 
name. Others thought the name “Nation (Umma) of 
Hezbollah” was more inclusive. Under time 
pressure to agree on a name before the “Open 
Letter” was to be issued, the name “Hezbollah”, 
(“Party of God”) found in the Quran was agreed upon.

The Open Letter, addressed to “The Downtrodden in 
Lebanon and in the World'" was published on 
February 16 1985,  a date purposely chosen 
because it was the first anniversary of the 
Israeli assassination, of the much loved 
pre-Hezbollah resistance organizer  Sheik Ragheb 
Harb, from the south Lebanon village of Jibsheet.

Hezbollah first Manifesto was first read at the 
al-Ouzai Mosque, down the hill and near the 
Mediterranean seashore, from the Shatila 
Palestinian refugee camp, by one of the founders 
of Hezbollah, the official spokesman for the 
nascent group, Sayeed Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, who 
has served for 28 years on its Shura Council and 
today heads Hezbollah’s political 
council.  Perhaps by coincidence, on the same day 
that Hezbollah’s public manifesto was issued; 
Israel began a 10 week withdrawal from 168 towns 
and villages, comprising 55 percent of South Lebanon.

(Comment:  With respect to Shatila Camp and 
neighboring Burj al Barajneh camp­and later 
Rashidiyye Camp  down south in Tyre -it was 
several weeks following Hezbollah ‘going public’ 
that the “War of the Camps”  (May 1985-July 1988) 
would cause more death and destruction to 
Palestinians than the Sabra-Shatila 
Massacre.  Despite pressure from their fellow 
Shia – the Amal militia – to join them in 
attacking the Camps to settle plenty of still 
festering pre-1982 scores from PLO abuses and 
crimes against the southern Shia, as well as to 
help Syria eliminate pro-Arafat partisans and 
gain sole control of the “Palestinian Card”, the 
newly organized Hezbollah insisted that its only 
enemies were the Israeli occupiers, which it was 
busy attacking.  At the same time it repeatedly 
admonished Amal and Syria to end their assaults 
on Palestinian refugee camps.  Eventually Syria, 
under Soviet and Arab pressure, called a halt to 
the criminal attacks, but to this day few 
Palestinians have forgiven it for this slaughter 
which killed more than 4,000 and wounded close to 
7,000.   Like Amal, Syria does not like to 
discuss this black chapter and some of its officials express regret and shame.)

With its “Open Letter” declaration Hezbollah 
entered a new phase, shifting the Party from 
secret resistance activity free from political or 
media interactions into public political work.

As noted above,  from the day it was promulgated, 
some have been advising the Party to amend and 
‘tone down’ the 1985 language which reflects a 
different period of Lebanese history and 
international conflict.  Others aver that we are 
still in the same period only more deeply. The 
original Hezbollah manifesto document reflects 
various views of the founders as well as the 
political thinking of senior Shia cleric Mohammad 
Hussein Fadlallah. Some in Dahiyeh still call 
Fadlallah “the father of Hezbollah” not for his 
active Party involvement which has never existed 
Hezbollah sources attest (not withstanding his 
name on the US terrorism list) but for his public 
speeches and sermons that inspired a generation 
of Resistance fighters in Lebanon and the region and continue to do so.

Need for a clearer view of the Resistance

Some critics have used the Introduction to 
Hezbollah’s 1985 “Open Letter” to smear the Party 
as religious fanatics and appearing too ‘foreign’ and too Iranian:

It reads:  “We are often asked:  Who are we, the 
Hezbollah, and what is our identity?
We are the sons of the umma (Muslim community) – 
the party of God (Hizb Allah) the vanguard of 
which was made victorious by God in Iran. There 
the vanguard succeeded to lay down the bases of a 
Muslim state which plays a central role in the 
world. We obey the orders of one leader, wise and 
just, that of our tutor and faqih (jurist) who 
fulfills all the necessary conditions: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini. God save him!

By virtue of the above, we do not constitute an 
organized and closed party in Lebanon.
nor are we a tight political cadre. We are an 
umma linked to the Muslims of the whole
World by the solid doctrinal and religious 
connection of Islam, whose message God
wanted to be fulfilled by the Seal of the 
Prophets, i.e., Muhammad. This is why whatever 
touches or strikes the Muslims in Afghanistan, 
Iraq, the Philippines and elsewhere reverberates 
throughout the whole Muslim umma of which we are 
an integral part. Our behavior is dictated to us 
by legal principles laid down by the light of an 
overall political conception defined by the leading jurist (wilayat al-faqih).

As for our culture, it is based on the Holy 
Koran, the Sunna and the legal rulings of the
faqih who is our source of imitation (marja' 
al-taqlid). Our culture is crystal clear. It is
not complicated and is accessible to all.

Some Party officials, as well as supporters, felt 
Hezbollah needed to issue a new document that 
would provide a clearer and wider vision on the 
resistance and its current political work and 
future social and ideological plan.

Against this backdrop, Hezbollah’s 7th Party 
Conference drafted a more contemporary  32 page 
Manifesto reflecting 28 years of political 
maturity.  Not to recant its 25 year old “Open 
Letter” but rather to define issues not addressed 
in the party’s first manifesto and to set its 
future political path for “homeland of our 
fathers, ancestors, grandchildren, and the coming generations."

The detailed document, in Four Parts, provides 
many specifics on how Hezbollah plans to work 
with the new Unity Government to improve Lebanon 
and the lives of its entire population.

Misleading mainstream media reports

For many who rely on MSM reports such as offered 
by US and European ‘news outlets’ a  dramatically 
skewed view was presented  the morning 
after  yesterday’s  release of what Hezbollah’s 
new political program as a large news conference in al Jinen Hall in Dahiyeh.

A typical MSM report on yesterday’s event:
Beirut, Lebanon (CNN) – “Hezbollah's chief on 
Monday announced the group's new "manifesto," 
which calls on all countries to "liberate 
Jerusalem" and declares the United States a threat to the world.

"American terrorism is the source of every 
terrorism in the world," Hassan Nasrallah said in 
a televised speech from an undisclosed location. 
Hezbollah, a political party in Lebanon, is 
listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel.
Nasrallah does not appear in public amid concerns 
for his safety.  "We invite and call on all Arabs 
and Muslims and all countries keen on peace and 
stability in the world to intensify efforts and 
resources to liberate Jerusalem from Zionist 
occupation and to maintain its true identity and 
its Islamic and Christian sanctities," Nasrallah said.

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for numerous 
terrorist attacks. It has been linked to attacks 
against American, Israeli and other Western 
targets
.He praised Iran and Syria, which are Hezbollah's chief backers”.

Only then is the reader advised that Hassan 
Nasrallah “also touched on domestic issues.” In 
fact Hassan Nasrallah spoke for 80 minutes about 
domestic issues, the subject of and reason for the new Hezbollah manifesto.

What the mainstream media failed to report.

Hezbollah’s new political program calls for “The 
elimination of political sectarianism as the main 
pre-condition to establish a true democracy as 
the Taif Accord stipulated and the formation of a 
national council for this end.” The Hezbollah 
manifesto blames sectarianism “for being a strong 
obstacle to achieving a true democracy, whereby 
the elected majority can rule and the opposition can exercise its role.”

Despite Hezbollah’s desire for a sectarian-free 
democracy, Nasrallah said that until achieving 
it, his party accepts “consensus democracy” 
pursuant to the Constitution and National Pact. 
“Consensus democracy is a suitable political 
formula that ensures the participation of all parties,” he noted.

Focusing extensively on the domestic level, 
Hezbollah, acting as a fully fledged political 
party, urged the implementation of administrative 
decentralization in order to promote balanced 
developmental projects over all Lebanese 
territories.  It warned against the evolution of 
decentralization into any form of federalism as 
he expressed the party’s opposition to any form 
of division, or masked federalism.

"We want a government that works for its citizens 
and provides the appropriate services in their 
education and medical care and housing to secure 
a decent life and to address the problem of 
poverty and provide employment opportunities,” 
the document reads. "We want a government that 
works to strengthen the role of women in society 
and enhance their participation in all fields.”

Nasrallah outlined his party’s vision for the 
Lebanese state, saying it must “guarantee public 
liberties, ensure national unity and protect its 
sovereignty and independence with a strong and 
capable army.” He stressed the importance of 
“modern” institutions, an economy built on 
agriculture and industry and a strong judiciary.

Hezbollah’s new manifesto also calls for a modern 
electoral law with “accurate electoral 
representation” and added that the state needs to 
cater to its citizens’ needs, empower the youth 
and women and prioritize education.

The new document maps out the party’s policy on a 
national defense strategy, saying that Lebanon 
needs to confront Israeli threats with a popular 
resistance supported by the people and a national 
army that ensures the country’s stability and 
security. "In the absence of strategic balance, 
the Israeli threat obliges Lebanon to endorse a 
defensive strategy that depends on a popular 
resistance participating in defending the country 
and an army that preserves the security of the 
country ­ in an integrated manner," added 
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General. “Adopting the 
choice of the Resistance allowed Lebanon to 
achieve real independence and safeguard its sovereignty,” he added.

Hezbollah’s new political manifesto emphatically 
declares that the Palestinians have the right to 
resist through all forms, primarily armed 
struggle.  It pledges Hezbollah’s work with all 
the Lebanese parties to grant Palestinian 
refugees in Lebanon “their civil and social 
rights,” while rejecting naturalization. It also 
calls for “direct Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue.” 
Nasrallah cited the 2000 Israeli withdrawal from 
the South, their 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, the 
2006 July War, the first and second Intifadas as 
well as the Hamas takeover of Gaza, and the 2009 
Gaza War as victories against Israel.

“We assure our constant and continuous support of 
the Palestinian people and cause against Israel,” he added.

Hezbollah new manifesto also calls on “Arab 
leaders to review their agreements with Israel 
and give up the idea of compromising with it, 
especially those who gambled on US administration 
policies.” Nasrallah added that “Israel has 
proved that is does not seek peace and uses 
negotiations to impose its conditions and to 
achieve its gains.”  Hezbollah hopes the Arab and 
Islamic countries would “unite and commit to the 
liberation of the land and reject the 
alternatives of naturalization of Palestinians.”

We call on the Arabs to set plans to liberate 
Palestinians in Israeli prisons,” Nasrallah added.

In its new political declaration, Hezbollah 
discusses Lebanon’s foreign relations, and calls 
for the country to “maintain its special 
relations with Syria because it is a political, 
security and economic need dictated by the two 
countries’ interests.”  It declares that any 
“negative atmosphere” clouding these relations must be removed”.

According to Hezbollah, Lebanon’s relations with 
Syria are part of the country’s overall relations 
with the Arab world and its confrontation with 
Israel. “Lebanon is Arab in nature and belonging” 
and added that its interests “necessitate a 
commitment to just Arab causes.” He called some 
Arab countries’ disputes with Iran as a “stab to 
the back of Arab causes that only serves Israel and the US.”

Hezbollah’s new manifesto also stresses the 
importance of cooperation between Islamic 
countries and described Iran as an “important, 
central state in the Islamic world
 which 
supports resistance movements in our area and 
supports Arab and Islamic causes.” He added that 
the “fabrications of contradictions” between Iran 
and Arab countries is a “stab in the back to the 
Arab cause, which serves only Israel and the US.”

As Hezbollah declares and initiates its outlined 
future work deep within the Lebanese polity, 
initial Lebanese and international reactions 
appear positive according to Hezbollah’s media 
office. The party now plans to enlist support for 
its new manifesto, distributing copies north, 
east and west, while keeping many eyes peeled 
along the southern border with occupied Palestine.

This morning’s Daily Star reports in an exclusive 
interview with David Miliband, the UK’s Foreign 
Minister, that his country intends to increase 
contacts and dialogue with Hezbollah’s 
politicians with European Union members 
considering the same. Meanwhile, this morning’s 
Naharnet.com news bulletin reports that the U.S. 
Embassy “has denied media reports that U.S. 
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern 
Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman will visit Beirut this 
week.”   According to the same report, “The 
embassy also denied an al-Markaziya news agency's 
report that the Obama administration would most 
probably replace Michele Sison as U.S. ambassador to Beirut”.

Franklin Lamb is doing research in Lebanon and 
can be reached at <mailto:fplamb at gmail.com>fplamb at gmail.com




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