The Impact of Armed Groups in the Middle East on the Legal Status of the State: The Case of Hezbollah

Abstract

The study examined the impact of armed groups in the Middle East on the legal status of the state, using the Lebanese Hezbollah group as a case study. The central issue of the study revolved around the main question: What is the origin and formation of the Lebanese Hezbollah group as one of the armed groups in the Middle East? From this main question, several sub-questions emerge, including: What is the concept, origin, and evolution of the armed group, its classification, and its elements? What are the intellectual and historical roots of the Lebanese Hezbollah group? What are the methods and means of logistical support for the group? What is the training, combat techniques, and types of armament that distinguish the group? What are the legal effects of Hezbollah on the legal status of the Lebanese state?

The significance of the study lies in understanding the formation and evolution of armed groups in the Middle East by studying Hezbollah as a model and exploring its methods, sources, and logistical support for achieving its goals. The study aimed to identify the concept of armed groups in international classifications, understand the development and emergence of Hezbollah, and examine its growing role in the Middle East. The study also explored the effects of Hezbollah on the legal status of the Lebanese state, as well as its logistical support methods, types of armament, training, and combat techniques.

The study followed the historical and analytical descriptive methodologies. The study concluded with several findings, the most important being that Hezbollah has adopted a hybrid warfare strategy and guerrilla warfare. The group has a clear impact on the legal status of the Lebanese state, showing duality that threatens the legitimacy of the government due to the presence of Hezbollah's military wing, which negatively affects the legal status of the state. Additionally, the relationship between Hezbollah and the Lebanese army influences the regional balance of power in the Middle East.

The study made several recommendations, including the necessity for the international community and major countries to support the rights of oppressed peoples and avoid military interventions to contribute to the stability of societies and halt the violence in the Middle East. It also recommended integrating Hezbollah's military forces into the Lebanese army to protect the legal status of the state and form a unified professional army. Furthermore, the study urged major countries and the United Nations Security Council to pressure Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories in southern Lebanon, Palestine, and the Syrian Golan to stop the ongoing wars, which would prevent the formation of armed groups.