| ID | 098759 |
| Title Proper | Hezbollah and the axis of refusal |
| Other Title Information | Hamas, Iran and Syria |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Rola El Husseini |
| Publication | 2010. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Hezbollah has acquired a dual and contradictory reputation: as a legitimate political actor in Lebanon and as a terrorist organisation in the USA and Israel. This duality can be explained if we understand that Hezbollah is a nationalist entity that defines itself primarily within the Lebanese polity, as well as an anti-imperialist party intent on countering the regional hegemony of Israel and the USA. Forming alliances with Hamas, Iran and Syria, Hezbollah has become part of a 'rejectionist' axis that seeks to oppose perceived imperialism in the Middle East; this stance has become increasingly entrenched in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. Characterisations that focus on Hezbollah as a military opponent confirm the organisation's perceived need for a rejectionist stance. International acceptance of Hezbollah as a legitimate political actor within the Lebanese polity, on the other hand, would help to bring the basis of the rejectionist axis into question. |
| `In' analytical Note | Third World Quarterly Vol. 31, No. 5; 2010: p803-815 |
| Journal Source | Third World Quarterly Vol. 31, No. 5; 2010: p803-815 |
| Key Words | Hezbollah ; Axix ; Refusal ; Hamas ; Iran ; Syria |