Promotional Information

An essential read for policymakers to help them understand not only how these organizations are structured but also how they operate and the ideas that animate them. -- William Martel, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations and Acronyms
Introduction
Part 1: Hezbollah
1. The Lebanese Players: A Background
The Shiites and Amal
The Maronites
Maronite Christian Parties Today
The Palestinians
The Sunnis
Lebanese Salafi-Jihadist Groups
The Lebanese Political System
2. Hezbollah: History and Development
The Beginning
Hezbollah in Post-Taif Lebanon
3. Ideals and Belief System
The Religious Pillars
A View of the World: External Enemies and Allies
Hezbollah in Lebanon: A Political and Military Platform
4. Structure
Political and Military Structure
Social Welfare
Fundraising
Latin America and the Tri-Border Area as a Case Study
5. Strategies and Tactics
Military Operations
Terrorism
Regional Involvement: A Growing Trend
Propaganda and Psychological Warfare
Part II: Hamas and Militancy in the Palestinian Territories
6. The Palestinian Players: A Background
The PLO and Fatah
Palestinian Islamic Jihad
Salafi-Jihadist Groups in Gaza
7. Hamas: History and Development
The Beginning
Political and Social Development
8. Ideals and Belief System
Islamist Roots and Religious Pillars
A View of the World and of the State of Israel
Hamas in the Palestinian Territories: Political Agenda and Activities
9. Structure
Political and Military Structure
Social Activism and Grass-Roots Support
Fundraising
10. Strategies and Tactics
Military Operations
Terrorism
Propaganda and Psychological Warfare
Part III: COuntering Hezbollah and Hamas
11. Israeli Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorism
Conclusions
Notes
Glossary
For Further Reading
Index

About the Author

Joshua L. Gleis is an independent scholar and international security consultant. Benedetta Berti is a lecturer in Middle Eastern studies at Tel Aviv University and an associate fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies.

Reviews

Within the past six years, Israel has fought one war with Hezbollah, the Party of God, and two wars with Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement. What are their roots, histories, ideologies, and tactics? Joshua L. Gleis and Benedetta Berti skillfully explore these issues in a fine primer. Canadian Jewish News Solid analyses of these two Islamist national resistance movements, both of which-notably Hezbollah-demonstrate a kind of strength that is lacking in more secular organizations and constitutes a new kind of challenge to Israel. Choice As Joshua L. Gleis and Benedetta Berti argue in Hezbollah and Hamas: A Comparative Study, a first-rate account of their respective development, Hezbollah and Hamas have evolved into important players in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and will continue to play this role in the future. -- Sheldon Kirshner Canadian Jewish News Valuable as an introduction to the background and structure of these organizations. -- Yehudit Barksy Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs While Hamas and Hizbullah have vastly different origins, they share a common adversary: Israel. As the groups become increasingly relevant to US national security, the authors provide a thorough overview of their histories, ideologies, tactics and futures-combining scholarship and primary sources in their analysis. Survival