Hezbollah - a Religious Terrorist Organisation - Essay Example

The paper "Hezbollah - a Religious Terrorist Organisation" is a good example of a finance and accounting essay. Hezbollah, which literally means "party of God", is a Lebanon-based Shi'a Islamic political and paramilitary organisation. Many countries such as the United States, Israel, Canada, and the Netherlands consider the group is a terrorist organisation. On the other hand, many countries consider a part of the organisation supporting terrorist activities. For instance, the United Kingdom has listed the military wing of Hezbollah as a proscribed terrorist organisation and Australia deems a part of the organisation’s military structure being involved in spreading terrorism. However, the social aspect of the organisation can not be ignored, as Hezbollah provides significant assistance for operating schools, hospitals, and agricultural services for Shiites living in Lebanon. Furthermore, many Arab countries and Muslims regard Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement (Goldberg 2002).

The first known military activity Hezbollah undertook was in 1982, in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon – also known as Operation Peace for Galilee – during the Lebanese civil war. The organisation formulated a manifesto in 1985 which stated the three main goals of Hezbollah, namely, to put “an end to any colonialist entity" in Lebanon, punishing the Phalangists for their crimes, and establishing an Islamic regime in Lebanon. The organisation also called for the destruction of Israel, which Hezbollah refer to as a "Zionist entity... built on lands wrested from their owners.” (Goldberg 2002).

Hezbollah has often been synonymous with terror attacks such as kidnapping and suicide bombings. Between 1982 and 1986, the organisation has been accused of 36 suicide attacks – killing 659 people – directed against American, French and Israelis forces in Lebanon. Some of the prominent attacks include a suicide bombing attack killing 241 US marines in Beirut in 1983; an attack on the U.S. Embassy in April 1983; and a hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985. The organisation’s name has often been dragged in attacks conducted outside Lebanon.