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A huge poster showing Hezbollah leader placed along the highway towards Beirut airport



Hezbollah’s victory has transformed the Middle East

By: George Galloway

As the smoke clears from the battlefield of the 34-day war in Lebanon, it would be a mistake to count the cost only in fallen masonry and fresh graves. All is changed, changed utterly, by the defeat that the whole of Israel is now debating, from the cabinet through the lively press to the embittered reservists at the falafel stall.

Practically the only person in the world who claims Israel won the war is George Bush—and we all know his definition of the words “mission accomplished.” Reports that the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, expressed regret at having underestimated Israel’s reponse to the capture of two of its soldiers were misleading. In fact, Nasrallah thanked God that the attack came when the resistance movement was prepared, as he was convinced Israel would have otherwise invaded later in the year at a time of its choosing.

If the fierce thicket of the Iraqi resistance stopped the Bush war spreading to Syria, then the extraordinary Hezbollah victory has surely made the world think again about an attack on Iran. But the main—and maybe the most welcome—shift in the 40-year-old paradigm of the Israeli-Arab conflict is the puncturing of the belief in a permanent and unchallengeable Israeli military superiority over its neighbors and the hubris this has induced in Israeli leaders—from the sleek Shimon Peres through the roughhouse of Binyamin Netanyahu to the stumbling Mr. Magoo premiership of Ehud Olmert.

The myth of invincibility is a soufflé that cannot rise twice. Over the past week I have picked my way through the rubble of Dahia in downtown Beirut, now resembling London’s East End at the height of the blitz, and across the south of Lebanon in towns such as Bint Jbeil whose centers look as if they have been hit by an earthquake.

Here the litter of banned weapons lies like a legal time bomb—evidence of war crimes alleged by the U.N. and Amnesty International that in a genuine system of international justice would put Israel in the dock at The Hague.

This, together with the beating Israel has received in international public opinion, is the collateral damage suffered alongside military humiliation.

The defeat of the regional superpower could yet open the way to a wider settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Israel announced the capture of Bint Jbeil several times, but in truth it never held the town—or anywhere else, for that matter—throughout the war. Despite raining down thousands of tons of high explosive on homes, schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, ambulances, UN posts, oil storage depots, electricity plants and virtually every petrol station south of Beirut (the bombers seemed to have a crazed thirst for petrol stations, while telling the world that they were kindly inviting the residents of south Lebanon to get into their cars and leave their homes for a little while), the Israelis were given a severe mauling by Hezbollah fighters when it came to boots on the ground.

Paradoxically, some believe that all this has blown open a window in which it is possible to glimpse the possibility of a comprehensive settlement of the near-century-old conflicts which lie behind the recent war. Now that the status quo ante has been swept away, we may even see an F.W. de Klerk moment emerge in Israel (and among its indispensable international backers).

The leader of the white tribes of apartheid South Africa waited until the critical mass of opposition threatened to overwhelm the position of the previously invincible minority, and sold the transfer of power on the basis that a settlement later, under more severe duress, would be less favorable. Israel’s trajectory is now heading toward such a moment.

A comprehensive settlement now would of course look much like it has for decades: Israeli withdrawal from land occupied in 1967; respect for the legal rights of Palestinian refugees to return; the emergence of a real Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital—a contiguous state with an Arab border, with no Zionist settlements and military roads, and with internationally guaranteed Palestinian control over its land, air, sea and water. In exchange there would be Arab recognition, normalization and, in time, acceptance of Israel into the Middle East as something other than a settler garrison of the imperial West.

Just as you can’t be a little bit pregnant, a settlement can’t be a little bit comprehensive. Attempts—like the one more than a decade ago in Oslo—to obfuscate, shave and sculpt such a package to the point of unrecognizability will founder on the new reality.

The Arab world is waking up to its potential power. It has seen the Iraqis confound Anglo-American efforts to recolonize their country, the unbreakability, whatever the cost, of the Palestinian resistance, and now the success of Hezbollah. If there is no settlement there can only be war, war and more war, until one day it is Tel Aviv which is on fire and the Israeli leaders’ intransigence brings the whole state down on their heads. Nor is it only Israel that will pay the price for continued conflict: the enduring injustice of Palestinian dispossession has already poisoned Western-Muslim relations and helped spill violence and hatred on to our own streets. There is still time to choose peace. But make no mistake, with the victory of Hezbollah, a terrible beauty is born.

-- George Galloway is the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow. This commentary first appeared in The Guardian on Aug. 31, 2006.

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Krim
But make no mistake, with the victory of Hezbollah, a terrible beauty is born.

A new beautiful leash is born to strangle the Sunni muslims. Once Lebanon falls into Shia hands, the Persian dream of reversing the consequences of the Qadisiyya battle will become true.

Dear Cyril
Can you tell us about Qadisiyya please ?
Thanks

Krim

In 636 (or 637) A.D. a large Arab army under the command of Saad ibn Abi Waqqas defeated the main Persian army at the Battle of Qadisiyya on the Euphrates, allowing the Arab conquest of Iraq and preparing the next battle of Nihavand that definitely ended the Persian Sassanian Empire.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2006 10:56 by Cyril.

It is funny to see how the arab world greets Hezbollah for winning the war against Israel. Yes somebody needed to teach Israelis a lesson but my friends, a win for Hezbollah is a lot of trouble for all muslims. A shiite lebanon + shiite -nuclear- Iran + shiite Iraq and you have just started the biggest split and struggle between 2 major islamic factions. If there ever is a shiite-sunni war in the persian gulf, the palestinian-israeli conflict will look like a joke.

Zaki

If you call a stalemate a victory, then Hezbollah and Israel have both won the war, or both lost it. Otherwise I think we agree on our view of the geopolitical situation in the Middle-East.

I mean victory from the goals that Hezbollah and Israel set before starting the fight.

Israel wanted to free its soldiers, it failed. Hezbollah did not give in.

Hezbollah wanted to chase them out, they succeeded.

Hezbollah had nothing to lose besides being destroyed, they were not destroyed, they instead came out with a huge support not only in Lebanon but in the arab world.

And Israel has agreed to negociate now after they withdrawed from Lebanon which was Hezbollah goals by capturing the Tsahal soldiers. I guess you can call that a victory when you chase the occupant out of your lands. I am no Hezbollah fan and I am no Tsahal fan, I just try to give a real assessment on how things have gone and how they might evolve. From that perspective, Israel lost the war. If she hadn't she would have won it.

But It is not really the point here, if Hezbolah rises to power, then we might be on the brink of WW-III but this time with muslims in the middle.

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Cyril
Zaki

If you call a stalemate a victory, then Hezbollah and Israel have both won the war, or both lost it. Otherwise I think we agree on our view of the geopolitical situation in the Middle-East.

Zaki

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zaki7
I mean victory from the goals that Hezbollah and Israel set before starting the fight.

Israel wanted to free its soldiers, it failed. Hezbollah did not give in.

Right, Israel could not liberate its soldiers. Do you really deduce that Israel has lost the war from that only occurence?
The real aim of Israel was to destroy the military infrastructure of Hezbollah, that is its missile launching ability. We know that they failed because they did not want to reoccupy Southern Lebanon. It was actually their air war which failed in its aims.

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Hezbollah wanted to chase them out, they succeeded.

To chase them out from where? From Palestine? The Israelis are still there. From the Shebaa Farms? They are still there.

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Hezbollah had nothing to lose besides being destroyed, they were not destroyed, they instead came out with a huge support not only in Lebanon but in the arab world.

Hezbollah was not destroyed, that's right. But its territory was. The Hezbollah leadership may not care but ask the peasants and shopkeepers that had their houses destroyed or their fields strewn with cluster bombs if they do not care.

Besides Hezbollahland has now become UN- and Lebanese-armyland. The Hezbollah is prevented from using its missiles, not mentioning the fact that the UN is waiting that it desarms according to the cease-fire treaty.
Its prisoners have not yet been freed and the Shebaa Farms that it claims as being Lebanese territory are still in the hands of Israel.
That is what I call an assessment. From that perspective I don't see any Hezbollah victory.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/2006 09:00 by Cyril.

Zaki

The Israeli army attacked Southern Lebanon with limited means (I mean on the ground not in the air). They could have won the war if they had sent all their army into Lebanon and remained there.
Instead they just went into Lebanon for a few days and out again. You can call that a victory if you like. I just call that an inroad followed by a retreat.

Let's wait know for the "victorious" Hezbollah to send one of its missiles towards Israel to watch the consequences of their "victory". Unless of course they desarm as they have to.

Salam 2 U All;
Actually I was So Proud of What hizboallah Did During the War lead by the US & The Zionists Agains Poor Little Lebanon, May Allah bless Hizbollah & His leader, Wa-Allahi I can not Tell You How Happy & interested I was Following The Messages/Reports About that Nusty War, We Need Since True Commited Leaders & Groups To Shape back This Oummah that Become A Mockery & on The Front line of Each news Brodacast, I also Want To let Them Know We Did not Forget The Pictures Making Fun of Our Beloved Prophet Mohamed PBUH, Nor Did We Forget What's Their Pop Spoke About in that University & We Are Not going Forgive Them To Keep Mocking Muslims, Islam, Allah & All that is Connected to Our Valuable Creed/Belief, Since Allah is the Protecter of His Faith "Deen" We Are not Worried About Islam & Allah Can Defend His Beloved Last Messenger/Prophet Mohamed PBUH. May Allah Bless Our Muslim Oummah & Show Us Signs and More Signs in These Haters & Bashers of islam, it Really Show How insecure they are, they Feel the Threats From Islam Since Islam is Wanted & People Are Coming to Islam Day & Night Alhamdo-Allah, I Heared Islam is Growing 260% away higher then Christianity only 160% this Means We Muslims Need to keep Up the Good Work & The Good true Faith & Obedience Towards Allah & His Commands, Love & Support Each Other. We Need To Stanp Up "Waqfata Rajoulin Samidin" infront of these Cowards Attacking Us & Mocking us every single day. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, Wa-Assalamo-ALikoum,

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AL3ARBIYANA1
We Need Since True Commited Leaders & Groups To Shape back This Oummah that Become A Mockery

Why do you say that the Oummah has become a mockery and needs to be reshaped? That seems to contradict your following statement that "Allah is the Protecter of His Faith "Deen". If he really cared he would have protected his Oummah, don't you think so?

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We Are not Worried About Islam & Allah Can Defend His Beloved Last Messenger/Prophet Mohamed PBUH.

If you are not worried about Islam why then did you list all the recent "attacks" against Islam. The same "attacks" against Christianity happen all the time and Christians remain indifferent to them because they do not fear them.

thankz for the reply, I am aggainst insulting any faith or belief but yes I am Muslim and islam is my faith, replying to your comment that I am contradicting myself no I am not I am stating facts Solid facts the Oummah is not United, Our Oummah still some shaping, We Do not Have A leader, We Do not have A Voice out there to defend Us and Stand Up for our Rights, What I said Abouut Allah Protecting His Own Words the Noble Qur'aan I meant, so is protecting the good image of Prophet Mohamed PBUH and the Shari3ah of islam But the Muslims are not doing what they suppose to do, we are away behind the westners protecting our brothers and sisters or fighting for our rights cause we are not United once again and we have alot of ignorance, there you go now I hope I did explain with more details, and really sorry if I keep repeating myself but I do not do it purpose, Allah Ghalib & Allah Karim, thankx alot for your reply and any corrections is always welcomed here Wa-Allahi I am cool, Shoukran Man,

At least you said:
We have alot of ignorance,
I keep repeating myself

And then:
We Do not Have A leader.
You are waiting for someone to solve your prolems.

Keep waiting: Sidna Ghdar, Mahdi Mountdar will come soon.

Salam 2 U All;
Some People Love 2 argue Just 4 the Sake of Arguments, La-Hawlla-Wa-La-Quwata-Illa-Bi-Allah-Al-3adime, Not Only but ignorance is so deep in some sould that it is felt as a Normal Behaviour and that's really so sad and it shows those type of people need serious help and to review themselves, like take a look at the miror first or maybe record their own blah, blah and listen to it several times before opening their mouth again and commiting sins by insulting innocent people, inna-li-llahi-wa-inna-ilayhi-raji3oun, Oh Allah Do Not Punich Us cause of the Mistakes of Others & Oh Allah Guide Us All Also Let Us See Our Mistakes/Errors/Minous Before others Sees Them, Oh Allah Takes Us to U when it is not right for Us to keep acting as You wanted Us 2 act as Ur Slaves & true Believers, Ameen Ya Rabba Al-3alamine,

AL3ARBIYANA1,

take it easy...this is not an Islamic forum so be cool if somebody doesn't delivre arguments through the religion.....people are diffrent and think different......

Many people are not religious and cannot admit that Allah could have an influence on current affairs. Some even get upset at the idea.

@ Zaki
Nice analysis of the Israel Hezbollah confrontation. Thanks for that.

@ Cyril
Being the devil's advocate is always good as it helps us question what we take for granted. But in this case, just as Iraq has weakened the US, Lebanon has weakened Israel. It's not like Israel chose to walk out of the confrontation as a chosen strategy. They were forced into that and Israelis felt humiliated by what happened.It was unteresting reading Israeli newspapers, especially the readers'comments section during the confrontation. On the other hand I am not saying that Hizbollah was "victorious", I take their "achievement" with a grain of salt.

@Al3arbiyana
You certainly mean well but maybe this is the wrong place for religous preaching. I'm sure people would welcome your political discussion instead.

salam alaykm all


Cyril

If you don t believe in God power on the past, current and future events or even God existence is your right that I respect just don t be upset if someone has different perspective like taking religion as reference in many thing in life. I don t call it preaching it is rather a freedom of speech .you have all right don t agree but certainly u don t have any right to exclude people from forum and give them suggestion to seek refuge in such or such country.

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sarah70
salam Cyril

If you don t believe in God power on the past, current and future events or even God existence is your right that I respect just don t be upset if someone has different perspective like taking religion as reference in many thing in life. I don t call it preaching it is rather a freedom of speech .you have all right don t agree but certainly u don t have any right to exclude people from forum and give them suggestion to seek refuge in such or such country.

I believe in God's existence.
My point (contrary to what you say about me) is that God seems to act on past, current and future events on the side of the non-Muslims and not on the side of the Muslims. That may explain why some, not me, get upset at the idea of God meddling with politics. Hasn't God power and strength on anything?
You must have mistaken me with somebody else when you say that I wanted to exclude someone from the forum or have him seek refuge in another country.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/2006 04:23 by Cyril.