Hizbullah’s Documents: From the 1985 Open Letter to the 2009 Manifesto

Despite the controversial reputation of Hizbullah in the West, and the significant role this powerful Islamist organization plays in Lebanese politics, there are few reliable, published English translations of the party’s primary documents. With this extensive work, Joseph Alagha seeks to remedy this problem and rectify the distortions and misrepresentations that have resulted from inaccurate translations.Through privileged access to the party, Alagha was able to compile and meticulously translate a host of original primary documents, from the party’s 1985 Open Letter; through its eight clandestine conclaves from 1989 to 2009; to all of its election programs from 1992 to 2010, as well as all of the agreements, understandings, and pacts the party has ratified over the years; ending with the 2009 Political Manifesto. This firsthand portrait of Hizbullah’s metamorphosis, especially in the past decade, is complete with thorough footnotes, commentary, background information, chronology, and a detailed introductory chapter that maps the party’s transformation by analytically comparing the Open Letter with the 2009 Manifesto. This volume will be an invaluable companion for both scholars and policy makers.

Table of Contents:
A Note on Transliteration, Prologue, Abstract, Introduction, 1 The Salient Points of the Open Letter 2 Hizbullah’s Eight Conclaves 3 Analysis of the New Manifesto 4 Thematic Analysis 5 Conclusion 1 Primary Documents 1 The Text of Hizbullah’s Open Letter1 Addressed to the Oppressed in Lebanon and the World, 16 February 1985 2 Hizbullah: Views and Concepts, Manar TV, Beirut, 20 June 199749 3 Statement of Purpose: Hizbullah Press Office, 20 March 199850 4 Hizbullah: Identity and Goals51 (August 2004) 2 Election Programs 1 Hizbullah’s 1992 Parliamentary Elections Program1 (my translation) 2 Hizbullah’s 1996 Parliamentary Elections Program12 3 Hizbullah’s 2000 Parliamentary Elections Program19 (my translation) 4 Hizbullah’s 2004 Municipal Election Program26 (my translation) 5 Hizbullah’s 2005 Parliamentary Elections Program46 (my translation) 6 Hizbullah’s 2009 Legislative Election Program: 6 April 200947 7 Nasrallah’s Post-elections Press Conference: 8 June 200948 3 Agreements, Understandings, Pacts 1 Paper of Common Understanding between Hizbullah and The Free Patriotic Movement:1 6 February 2006 2 The Beirut Declaration: 15 May 2008 3 Doha Accord: 21 May 2008 4 Hizbullah’s Understanding with the Salafi Movement: 18 August 20082 5 President al-Assad Issues a Decree Stipulating the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with Lebanon: 14 October 2008 4 The New Manifesto (30 November 2009)1 1 Hegemony and Mobilization 2 Lebanon 3 Palestine & The Settlement Negotiations 4 Nasrallah’s Press Conference: 30 November 2009 (in full)9 Chronology of Events (1975-2010), List of Abbreviations, Glossary, Notes.

About the Author :
Joseph Alagha is professor in Political Science & Intercultural Studies at Haigazian University, Beirut, Lebanon.

Review :
From the praise for The Shifts in Hizbullahs Ideology "Alahga successfully traces the major transformations of Hizballah's identity over the past decades by delineating its shift from a resistance identity to a project identity. [...]. Alagha's narrative successfully captures that gradual transformation of Hizballah from a "resistance group with a resistance identity to a political party with an Islamic project identity grounded in dominant interests." Alagha's coverage of the topic is more than adequate. [...] What Alagha offers [...] is a comprehensive assessment of all of the identity transformations within Hizballah as a single tradition." -- Mouannes Hojairi Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Winter 2012), pp. 125-127 (University of California Press)"This clearly written, and well argued book [is] a contribution to Middle Eastern Politics, to the relations between Iran and Shiite communities in the World, to the literature on suicide bombing, and to transnational Islam... Select chapters could be used for teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on Islamism, Middle Eastern politics, and Shiite doctrine... [It] shall be useful to academics, as well as policy makers and anybody interested in contemporary social movements in the Middle East." -- Arab Studies Quarterly"Alagha has contributed a description of Hizbullah's internal trajectory that will be useful to scholars of Middle Eastern politics and to scholars of religion... I suggest the volume for library collections on Islam and the Middle East and for graduate courses and some upper-level undergraduates." -- The Journal of Religion"I have admired your work on Hizbullah, and I found your recently published book The Shifts in Hizbullah's Ideology fascinating." -- Daniel L. Byman, Director, Center for Peace and Security Studies, Georgetown University"I hope Alagha's work will receive attention in the US, where US policy on Hizbullah is based on ignorance -often deliberate ignorance." - Graham E. Fuller, Ex-Vice Chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the CIA"The merit of Alagha is that he did not confine his research to the study of the ideology as such, but also remarkably analyzed the social practices and political behavior of Hizbullah in the Lebanese context... the author's work has become indispensable for comprehending the mysteries of Lebanese politics. Alagha's considerable contribution to the concrete knowledge of Lebanese and, consequently, Iranian Islamism promises an extremely productive future." -- Emeritus Professor Paul Vieille, ex-Director of research at the CNRS, Paris"Alagha's book is essential to any scholar hoping to understand the situation in the Middle East, the sectarian patterns of Lebanon and the conflict there... Only with the work of Alagha do we have a chance to construct policy that can realistically respond to Hizbullah's presence in Lebanon and the Middle East." -- Kathleen Barry, Professor Emerita, Penn State University, USA