"Hezbollah, or the 'Party of God', arose from the flames of the Lebanese civil war in 1982 to resist the Israeli invasion. Based in south Lebanon amongst the poor Shi'ite population, it takes its inspiration from the Iranian revolution and the teachings of the Ayatollah Khomeini. To the US, Hezbollah represents one of the most dangerous terrorist networks operating today. In Lebanon, it is a democratically elected party within the Lebanese parliament, backed not just by Shi'ites, but by Christians and secular Muslims. To the wider Arab world, Hezbollah is a legend: the only Arab fighting force to have defeated Israel, forcing its withdrawal from south Lebanon in May 2000. Syria and Iran, both under threat from the US presence in Iraq, continue to back it. As a terrorist organisation that is responsible for the deaths of numerous American soldiers, it is second only to al-Qaeda as a priority target for the US in its 'War on Terror'. Hezbollah represents one of the most important pieces in the jigsaw puzzle that is Middle East politics today." "In 1993, Hezbollah mounted attacks on the US Embassy and Marine Barracks in Beirut. In 1984, it attempted to destroy the Embassy annex. In 1985, it hijacked a TWA flight and killed a US Navy diver. Hezbollah attacked the Israeli embassy in Argentina in 1992, and is a suspect in the 1994 bombing of the Israeli cultural centre in Buenos Aires. Throughout the period and up until today, Hezbollah has been waging low-level but continuous warfare against Israel. But their terrorist activities are only half the story of the most complex and successful fighting organisation in today's Middle East. The story of how a clandestine, radical militia transformed itself into a seemingly moderate and mainstream player in the Lebanese political arena is rarely told or understood. How were the Mullahs able to justify their moderate turn to Hezbollah's zealous core constituents? Why did so many non-Shi'ites vote for them? How has Hezbollah so thoroughly integrated itself into the fabric of Lebanese society? What roles have Syria and Iran played in their fortunes - and why?" "Judith Palmer Harik has studied Hezbollah for over two decades. She has witnessed its brutality first hand, met its leaders, and seen it grow into both a mainstream political party and a role-model for Islamist militants worldwide. The Lebanese-Israeli border is less than fifty miles long, yet it is one of the major fault-lines in the Middle East where Israeli, Lebanese, Syrian, Iranian, Palestinian and American interests meet. Hezbollah rules that border and plays a pivotal role in the politics of the region. Harik's work is the definitive study of the Party of God, and will be vital reading for all concerned with the future of the Middle East and the wider world."--Jacket.

Hezbollah's version of political Islam -- Hezbollah and the outside world -- The mechanics of Hezbollah's transformation from radical militia to mainstream party -- Managing the "true believers" -- Squaring jihad with the general public -- Serving the umma : Hezbollah as employer and welfare organization -- The grass roots speak : the 1998 municipal elections -- The mechanics of military jihad -- The collapse of the "security zone" -- Hezbollah's standing after the collapse of the "security zone" -- The terrorism vs. resistance controversy -- America's half-hearted war against terrorism -- Conclusions and implications.