Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
List of Abbreviations and Acronyms xi
Introduction 1
Part I Hezbollah
1 The Lebanese Players: A Background 7
The Shiites and Amal 8
The Maronites 14
Maronite Christian Parties Today 18
The Palestinians 21
The Sunnis 23
Lebanese Salafi-Jihadist Groups 27
The Lebanese Political System 30
2 Hezbollah: History and Development 35
The Beginning 36
Hezbollah in Post-Taif Lebanon 42
3 Ideals and Belief System 51
The Religious Pillars 52
A View of the World: External Enemies and Allies 53
Hezbollah in Lebanon: A Political and Military Platform 57
4 Structure 61
Political and Military Structure 61
Social Welfare 66
Fundraising 69
Latin America and the Tri-Border Area as a Case Study 71
5 Strategies and Tactics 76
Military Operations 76
Terrorism 84
Regional Involvement: A Growing Trend 86
Propaganda and Psychological Warfare 89
Part II Hamas and Militancy in the Palestinian Territories
6 The Palestinian Players: A Background 95
The PLO and Fatah 103
Palestinian Islamic Jihad 109
Salafi-Jihadist Groups in Gaza 112
7 Hamas: History and Development 118
The Beginning 118
Political and Social Development 123
8 Ideals and Belief System 134
Islamist Roots and Religious Pillars 134
A View of the World and of the State of Israel 138
Hamas in the Palestinian Territories: Political Agenda and Activities 141
9 Structure 144
Political and Military Structure 144
Social Activism and Grass-Roots Support 148
Fundraising 152
10 Strategies and Tactics 158
Military Operations 158
Terrorism 162
Propaganda and Psychological Warfare 165
Part III Countering Hezbollah and Hamas
11 Israeli Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorism 173
Conclusions 185
Notes 195
Glossary 233
For Further Reading 239
Index 243
