Mona Alami is a French Lebanese journalist focusing on political and economic issues in the Arab world. She has conducted extensive research on radical Islamist movements in Palestinian refugee camps, Salafi movements in Lebanon and Jordan, al-Qaeda’s reach to the West, as well as Hezbollah. Alami is also a fellow at the Atlantic Council and senior associate at King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies and TRENDS Research and Advisory.
In-Depth Reports
When Hezbollah declared its support for the Assad regime against the Syrian rebels, the group damaged its credibility as a voice against oppression. Yet Hezbollah’s recent successes in Syria have allowed it to strengthen its domestic political position. By strategically partnering with the Shiite Amal Party and the Christian Free Patriotic Movement, the group has effectively wrested control of executive and legislative decisionmaking through its veto power. Simultaneously, it has sought to boost its position by pursuing military victories in border regions, cooperating with the Lebanese Army, and cracking down on voices of dissent among its Shiite base.
In this new Institute Research Note, journalist Mona Alami examines Hezbollah’s Syria involvement in the context of the group’s history, religious worldview, and national and regional ambitions. Further, she asks whether Hezbollah’s resilience in Lebanon can withstand future instability and worsening economic conditions.
