Hezbollah’s current role in Lebanon

In September 2006, the Shiite group Hezbollah held a huge rally marking what it called its divine victory over the Jewish State. Hezbollah’s leader, Hasam Nasrallah, told a crowd it’s the time of victories. Many Lebanese disagreed, citing the huge damages and death tolls from the war. still many in Lebanon did see it as a victory, especially Hezbollah’s supporters. He says Hezbollah is the only thing that keeps Israel from invading Lebanon again. But many say Hezbollah is responsible for sparking the war, and claim the organization is a stooge of Syria and Iran, and they call for the group to be disarmed. Hezbollah in turn accused its opponents of doing the US’s backing. In return, many Hezbollah politicians resigned from Lebanon’s parliament, leaving the government in a state of paralysis. Then Hezbollah seized control of West Beirut this past spring, despite promising not to use its weapon against fellow Lebanese. After five days of fighting, a new government of national unity was forged and Hezbollah was given veto power in the new cabinet. This analyst says the group is now stronger than ever, even though Lebanon remains vulnerable to collapses and flare ups. Still he says in Lebanon today, the group’s position looks good.