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Hamas looks to Hezbollah's inspiration
By Sami Moubayed

DAMASCUS - The similarities between what is taking place in Gaza today, and what took place in Lebanon in 2006, are striking. Both wars were waged by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) against a small military group, seen as "heroes and resistance leaders" by the Arab world, labeled as "terrorists" by Israel and the United States.

In both wars, Israel resorted to unconditional force, devastating Lebanon in 2006 and Gaza in 2008, and it seems like this war - just like 2006 - will last longer than most people expect. It won't be that easy to eliminate Hamas from Gaza, however, because of its grassroots popularity, just like Israel was unable to destroy Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In back-to-back speeches by Hezbollah secretary general Hassan

Nasrallah during the first week of the current war on Gaza, he drew parallels between Hezbollah and Hamas. Both were under savage attacks by Israel, he noted, carried out with dubious objectives.

In 2006, Israel claimed that it was attacking Lebanon to free two abducted Israeli soldiers, while in 2008 it is bombing Gaza to ostensibly stop al-Kassam rockets from landing in northern Israel, fired by Hamas militias.

The real targets, Nasrallah said, were the Islamic groups because it was part of their doctrine to fight and destroy Israe... >>>