Hezbollah's new document is written in a calm and relatively balanced tone and in a documentary style that reflects openness to others. In addition, sectarian tendencies are absent from the new document. The document also calls for uniting Islamic efforts especially of the Sunna and the Shiite. However, when reading the content of the document insightfully and carefully, we may make a completely contradictory conclusion. The Party neither changed their mentality nor their main objectives. We can summarize what the Party introduced in the new documents in three points. Firstly, Hezbollah just made a change in the strategy with the aim of adapting themselves to Lebanese, Arab and international developments in the Arab region. Secondly, the Party intends to make endeavors to impose their political domination on the whole course of events in the Arab region. Thirdly, the party will try hard to change the beliefs that the Public opinion holds about Hezbollah including the idea that Hezbollah is the best single political alternative to all the Arab regimes in the future.
It is not unfamiliar for Hezbollah to reiterate their old-fashioned concepts. These concepts included confrontation with what the Party calls the arrogant global powers and defending those oppressed on earth". It is not also unfamiliar that the party stressed that its enemies are the American and Israeli authoritarian dominating powers. As usual, the Party shed light on the project of western domination and the brutal capitalism and ruthless globalization. Hezbollah also stressed that resistance is the only choice to make a victory over all these powers. The Party elaborated on explaining the development of the domineering powers and the projects these powers are planning for controlling the Arab region. Hezbollah also pointed out the role that Israel plays in these projects and elaborated on praising the successes that the resistance made against Israel whether in 2000 or 2006.
The party threw light on its activities over the past years, revealing the so-called all-important results of these activities both at the military and political levels. They also diagnosed the nature of the new challenges in the region. All of these factors motivated them to establish a new strategy in the region. The most prominent characteristics of this strategy include evaluating the resistance led by the Party and thus the role assumed to be played by the Party in the future. This evaluation states that the party is no longer just a Lebanese national value but an Arabic and Islamic value as well. Hezbollah described their resistance as bright and glorious. It has become, according to the Party's self image, a universal and human value inspired by those who seek freedom and independence all over the world.
The party portrays itself as a model for all the oppressed in the world, at both the Lebanese and international levels. They have broadened their scope of activity to operate freely at any time and everywhere. The document states that "It is clear that there is only one way to lead a struggle in any part of the world from a global perspective. The American threat is not limited to a certain region and therefore the confrontation with this American threat should have a universal characteristic as well". The document highlights the successes of the party's policies at the international level when it refers to the "revolution against America" in some countries of Latin America.
In another respect, the document highlighted the considerations of globalizing Hezbollah and the resistance which the Party leads. In this way, they thought, the Party will be able to interfere into all the affairs of the Arab region. It states that "The resistance finds nothing wrong with spreading the advantages of the resistance choice all over the Arab countries as long as this will weaken the enemy and solidify the Arab stance".
The document states that the political domination of the Party will be strengthened, claiming that Hezbollah is the best Party to lead the Arab peoples. This goal is to be achieved through reinforcing the Iranian model and promote it all over the Arab countries. The new form of the party's policy is almost a contemporary or new version of Khomeinism-- and is closer to perspective of Iran's President Mhamoud Ahmadinejad. The document criminalizes any Arab disagreement with the contemporary Iranian policy and regards such disagreement not to the interest of the Arabs themselves. "Disagreeing with the Islamic Republic of Iran on part of some Arab entities is fatally harmful to the Arabs and the Arab causes—and is only to the interest of Israel and the US," reads the document.
The globalization of resistance advocated by Hezbollah is inconsistent with the moderate and calm tone of the document concerning the Lebanese affairs, and is not in line with the Lebanese democratic perspective, regarding present and future of such affairs. Furthermore, the domination that the document seeks is not consistent with keenness, mentioned in it, on Arab accord, preventing divisions, and on work with the Arab governments. These connotations could imply that the party has accepted the current Arab affairs and is unwilling to seek change in the region.
In addition, resistance mentioned in the document is not clear-cut. While the document noted to the role of Hezbollah as supportive the Lebanese army to liberate the remaining the Lebanese soil from the Israeli occupation, it regards resistance as the only option for all the Arab peoples to solve their problems. In this regard, the document is not specific regarding if resistance is armed or not armed. The goal is to free Hezbollah from any future restrictions regarding guiding the Arab of Muslim street.
The Party does not intend to make an immediate clash neither with the Lebanese parties nor with Israel and the USA. "The battle is very difficult and subtle. It has a historical dimension. It is therefore a battle of generations and hence necessitates taking advantage of every assumed power". The party does not want to make a direct clash with the Arab regimes either. Instead, Hezbollah intends to set a long-term strategy to dominate the will of the Arab peoples and control the political arena through growing feelings of religious zeal.
Dr. AbdulAtti Mohammed – Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram Alarabi
