Hizbullah rally
Hizbullah rallyIsrael News Photo: file

Several countries, recently joined by Britain, distinguish the “political wing” of Hizbullah from the group's “military wing,” which has been responsible for thousands of terrorist attacks on Israel and within southern Lebanon. Hizbullah's second most powerful leader, Naim Qassem, recently told western journalists why those countries are wrong, in an interview printed by the Los Angeles Times.

"Hizbullah has a single leadership,” Qassem informed the reporters. “All political, social and jihad work is tied to the decisions of this leadership. The same leadership that directs the parliamentary and governmental work also leads jihad actions in the struggle against Israel.”

Qassem said the increasing tendency to see Hizbullah as a legitimate political movement was a result of Hizbullah's increasing power. The trend towards seeking reasons to allow communication with the group “indicates that the Islamic resistance has convinced the West it is a popular, authentic and important movement that cannot be ignored,” he declared.

International legitimacy is valuable, he added, as it can be used to pressure foreign governments to end their support for Israel.

Hizbullah has gained political power since the Second Lebanon War. In order to end a lengthy political stand-off, the ruling coalition in Lebanon granted the Hizbullah-led opposition veto power in the Parliament. In addition, clashes in southern Lebanon in mid-2008 ended with the government's agreement to allow the group to use a private communication network and select the head of airport security in Beirut.

Israeli military experts say the group has gained military strength as well, and has more than rebuilt the weapons supply it held prior to the Second Lebanon War.