Militants merge with mainstream: Hizbullah emerges as symbol of resistance

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Militants merge with mainstream

· Hizbullah emerges as symbol of resistance
· Anger at Israel's actions unites Shias and Sunnis

Brian Whitaker, Issandr el-Amrani in Cairo, Siraj Wahab in Jeddah and Mark Summers in Manama
Saturday August 5, 2006
The Guardian

Whatever qualms Arabs once had about Hizbullah they have since been dissipated by Israel's attacks, the hundreds of deaths, the sight of up to a quarter of the Lebanese population fleeing their homes, and especially the bombing of UN observers and the massacre at Qana.

The Shia organisation and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, have become symbols of resistance even in such unlikely places as the Gulf countries where Sunnis and Shias have been spotted waving the yellow-and-green flag. Christians are joining in as well. In Damascus yesterday, a Catholic church held a special mass. "Pray for the resistance, pray for Hassan Nasrallah. He is defending justice," Father Elias Zahlawi urged his congregation.

Unlike al-Qaida, admiration for Hizbullah stretches beyond disaffected militants to take in teachers, writers, broadcasters, and doctors many of whom, under other circumstances, would be pressing for democracy and reform.

"When I was young I used to watch people burn US flags in rallies across the world," said Saif al-Adham, a Saudi football trainer. "Now I know exactly why there is such an anti-American feeling.

"It is no wonder that most Muslims consider Israel and the US to be synonymous words for terror ... This type of behaviour encourages radicalism among Muslims the world over."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1837874,00.html