Hezbollah: Difference between revisions

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'''Hezbollah''' or '''Hizbollah/Hizbullah'''<ref> The name ‮حزب الله‬ is transliterated from the [[Arabic language|Arabic]] in a number of ways. An exact transliteration would be '''hizbu' llāh'''. '''Hezbollah''' is predominantly used by American media, such as [[CNN]], [[Fox News]] and [[The New York Times]], as well as by the [[BBC]] and [[The Times]] in the UK, but the organization itself alternatively transliterates its name as '''Hizbollah''' or '''Hizbullah'''. The leading English-language newspaper in the region, the [[Daily Star (Lebanon)|Daily Star]] of Beirut, transliterates it as '''Hizbullah''', as do the British newspapers [[The Guardian]] and [[The Economist]]. The Guardian's Sunday sister publication [[The Observer]] and British newspapers [[The Independent]] and [[The Daily Telegraph]] prefer '''Hizbollah''', however, as does the American [[Christian Science Monitor]]. Both '''Hizbollah''' and '''Hezbollah''' are common transliterations into other languages with a Latin-based alphabet, such as French, Spanish, Italian and the Nordic languages. It may, however, also be written as '''Hizballah''' or '''Hisbollah''', and the literal Arabic version '''Hizb Allah,''' which is used by [[Al Jazeera]]. "Hizb" (party) is the [[Modern Standard Arabic]] pronunciation, and "Hezb" is closer to [[Persian language|Persian]] and to [[Lebanese Arabic|Lebanese dialect]]. The 'h' is [[pharyngeal]] in Arabic, but a normal 'h' sound in Persian. The "-llah" ending, originally "Allah", means "(the) God". The name is derived from a [[Qu'ran|Qu'ranic]] aayat (verse) referring to those who belong to and follow the "Party of God".</ref> ([[Arabic language|Arabic]] ‮حزب الله‬, meaning '''Party of God''') is a governmental and militant [[Lebanese]] [[Islamist]] group, with a military arm and a civilian arm, founded in 1982 to fight the Israeli Defense Forces who occupied southern [[Lebanon]] until the year 2000.<ref>[[PBS]] report: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june00/israel_5-24.html</ref> Its leader is [[Hassan Nasrallah]].

Hezbollah was "inspired by the success of the [[Iranian Revolution]]"{{fact}}and "was formed primarily to offer resistance to the Israeli occupation."{{fact}} Hezbollah's political platform has consistently called for the destruction of Israel.{{fact}} The United States and Israel say that Hezbollah has received financial and political assistance, as well as weapons and training, from Iran and Syria[http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2005/64337.htm]. Syria says it supports Hezbollah, but denies supplying it with weapons."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/13/hezbollah/index.htm|title= Hezbollah: Violence mixed with social mission|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=[[2006-06-13]]|accessdate=2006-06-15}}</ref> Along with the [[Amal Movement|Amal]] movement, Hezbollah is the main political party and militant organization representing the [[Shi'a Islam|Shia]] community, Lebanon's largest religious bloc{{fact}}. Founded with the aid of [[Iran]] and funded by it{{fact}}, it follows the distinctly Shiite Islamist ideology developed by [[Ayatollah]] [[Ruhollah Khomeini]], leader of the [[Islamic Revolution]] in Iran{{fact}}.

Hezbollah is regarded by many inside and outside of the [[Arab world|Arab]] and [[Muslim world]]s, such as the [[Iran|Iranian]][http://www.president.ir/eng/ahmadinejad/cronicnews/1384/10/30/#b3] and [[Syria|Syrian]]{{fact}} governments, as a legitimate [[resistance movement|resistance]] movement and is a recognized [[political party]] in [[Lebanon]], where it has participated in government[http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/15047883.htm].