Immediately after the explosion buildings lying in ruins theres broken glass everywhere people are in shock. I feel a lot i believe they are i think they are very alone. Less than the 2nd the both of my so deep it. Is unfair and. I was opposed to this is all those 911 more than 150 people are dead and thousands injured many others are still missing. The suspected cause of the blast in correct storage of highly explosive chemicals. The porch where the explosion took place is thought to be largely under the control of hezbollah and state structures have ceased to exist in many parts of lebanon and the shia has a lot more party of god has exploited the power vacuum for years undermining lebanon spoil the nickel system. Supported and financed by iran hezbollah is dividing the country. As follows chris 6 would say yes so this does be stabilized the region has followed supposes would say that hezbollahs military strength is an asset for love them because that keeps israel away in the war in syria has pulled off fought successfully on the side of president Bashar Al Assad helping to keep him in power. Back home in lebanon the group has emerged stronger than ever the more the there are fighting to defend is the model of bashar assad which is the its a ship. So to what extent does hezbollah determine the course of politics in lebanon. Even before the beirut explosion the city still bore the scars of a civil war that for more than 15 years crippled the capital and the country as a whole. Was among those who fought back that. He was 16 years old when he 1st held a weapon in his hands. The lebanese civil war erupted in 1975. Beirut became a battlefield as did virtually the entire country. The war initially saw christian militias fighting against the Palestinian Liberation Organization or p. L. O. Which was threatening to take control of beirut. The hostilities then escalated into a broader conflict between christians and arab nationalists. Eventually in 1902 israel invaded and occupied southern lebanon. In order to expel the p. L. O. From the country it was during this time that hezbollah was formed in resistance to israel the war claimed tens of thousands of lives and left the country devastated. Believes his generation has a lot to answer for the bad thing 3 years was a person who where might a very they know but they dont speak about it. Thats why over to 1520 years something some players will have to go. And they know. How to throw the book so that they dont make a small hours where they go they dont know anything about life except to try to. Among the biggest losers of the civil war for the maronite christians who are affiliated with the Roman Catholic church. In 1943 france had relinquished its mandate over levanon and the country became independent for decades afterwards the maronites held sway and levanon muslims druze Orthodox Christians and all other religious minorities had to accept the political and economic supremacy of the maronites. The defeat and the civil war had far reaching consequences for that as middle east Analyst Daniel gallo off explains. Even on board of the state of lebanon was created in order to guarantee a christian majority its an absolute exception in the history of the middle east was on a state was created with the help of the west and also the league of nations in which christians were in the majority in the mic and asked by able to determine Political Development speak before the lebanese civil war that the christians had enjoyed guaranteed privileges including a majority in parliament jotham you after the wall and through the agreements that was signed in its wake. Changed today the christians no longer have those privileges you need now after the civil war but cards were reshuffled lebannon system of shared power was revised to give the Muslim Population equal representation. Each religious group was granted hosts and privileges but those groups tend to look after their own interests rather than working for the benefit of the country sectarian networks have thrived fueled by corruption and nepotism making the whole system resistant to change. The party of the maronite christians is led by. Who comes from one of lebanons most prominent political dynasties. Both his uncle and brother were assassinated. Nevertheless the mile believes and lebanese democracy. We have a history of 80 years of democracy the only maybe country in the region where you have expresident living in peace in their own country you have every 4 years in the election you have. Governments are being formed even if it takes time even if its difficult to do it every time but at least you are doing it and its a democratic process and this is a model that. That you are willing to defend. The political system in lebanon is now under greater threat than ever before the shia has below movement is growing in strength. Many of its supporters despise the lebanese state. On the last friday of ramadan has been lost celebrates all could or jerusalem day which was 1st instituted by the iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 as a day of resistance to israel but dont let the rock in jerusalem. Has become a symbol of that struggle. Hezbollah calls itself the party of the resistance opposing not only israel but also its own seemingly powerless state. Only resistance has proved successful but by hezbollah not the state this Resistance Movement emerged the moment it became clear that the state was powerless to do anything for the state let the occupying israelis humiliate us to the extreme in the south of the country on a daily basis the Resistance Movement consists of all these people here live on hand to denounce. Hezbollah as base is made up of the many poor shiites who constitute roughly one quarter of the population of lebanon. Hezbollahs secretary general. Is the man they look to for decades hes been the head of the party and the armed militia its been years since not israel that has appeared in public due to the risk of assassination the list of not enemies as long as israel regards him as a chief terrorist. On this occasion his supporters only get to see him on a big screen he sends a video message from a hiding place in the mountains. We have precision missiles capable of hitting all essential targets in the zionist entity. And hezbollah doesnt just make empty threats over the years its carried out attacks in many parts of the world targeting u. S. French and above all israeli interests. The u. S. And israel have designated hezbollah a terrorist organization. Some European Countries have completely banned the group. Called the European Union only calls hezbollahs military wing a terrorist organization i thought id. Hezbollah has mounted numerous attacks on northern israel near the border with lebanon ducting soldiers targeting and killing civilians firing rockets and using suicide bombers. Blew through. Your bomb sites or works at the institute for National Security studies in telhami. Definitely the most Dangerous Organisation but its not only organisation isabella is a Political Party its a social network its. Really just spotty and its also an army its a very well equipped Army Advanced ami was sophisticated weaponry which were provided by the iranians and the syrians. Hezbollah was formed in the 1980 s. And the but col valley on the border to syria. Today the group also controls parts of beirut and the south of the country. During lebanons civil war the hezbollah militia began fighting against israel after it occupied the south of the country. Faced with a guerrilla war of attrition the israeli army eventually pulled out of lebanon in 2000 hezbollah claimed victory. Nicholas blanford as a british journalist. During the 1990 s. He was writing for lebanese daily newspapers and there was a general consensus within lebanon to support hezbollah to support hezbollah as resistance like that it is including from those the view has followed with some distrust. And this alarmist organization. With links to iran. The resistance of credentials helps has followed game popular if you cross the country. Has been lost version of history is that Israel Occupied southern lebanon and that hezbollah put up resistance until the israelis withdrew. In fact as bill law also mounted repeated attacks on its arch enemy after that time. In 2006 as pull off began firing rockets into northern israel. Then crossing over into israel hezbollah militants killed 3 Israeli Soldiers and abducted 2 more. Israel hit back launching a Ground Invasion of southern lebanon and a series of airstrikes reaching as far as beirut. More than a 1000 lebanese were killed most of them civilians. The war also cemented hezbollahs status as one of israels principal enemies. The israelis faced with and is challenge by an army these using those guerrilla tactics thats why they call it the. And it is a very well trained very well equipped with money intentions any jeopardize the stability of the region and it may create a war between israel and lebanon on the state of living on which has basically igitur the. United nations troops had been stationed in southern lebanon since 1978. Their mandate to guarantee peace and security in the contested region. But it proved an Impossible Task for a u. N. Force that was far too small. The Lebanese Army was in a pitiful state after the civil war and controlled by different religious groups. Only when 6 un peacekeepers were killed in the 2006 war between israel and hezbollah did the United Nations change its policy. Since 2006 the un forces have had whats known as a robust mandate which allows greater scope for the use of force if necessary. For years things were pretty quiet along the border but recent months have seen a number of armed skirmishes leading to a renewed rise in tensions to this day a state of war still exists between israel and lebanon and the 2 countries have no diplomatic relations. Tel aviv lies 150 kilometers south of that border with lebanon on. Its israels biggest city and it now lies within the range of hezbollah missiles. Thats one of the reasons why the Israel Defense forces have chosen to locate their center of operations deep underground beneath their headquarters. Mr. Well its such a small country that a short reaction time to attacks from outside is deemed a cliental to its survival. These really army monitors the activities of hasbro law closely its findings show that hezbollah has grown in strength partly through the experience it has gained fighting in the war and neighboring syria. Israel sees has bill law and a wider strategic context. It views the shia militia 1st and foremost as a proxy for the implementation of iranian plans. Many analysts say iran is trying to establish a land corridor from its own territory to the mediterranean with the aim of projecting an extended sphere of influence were the regime in tehran now has close allies over a wide area reaching from iraq and syria through to lebanon with hezbollah. We see iranian attempts to create a land corridor from iran through about a 1000 kilometers more or less from iran all the way through lebanon through it all and syria when we look at events in syria we care less about if the dictator bashar assad regains control over the country or not what were interested in is whether the iranians will be able to make this into yet another iranian. Outpost military outpost against this one and we have said very clearly that we have no intentions to allow the iranians to do so. In recent years israel has launched hundreds of attacks on suspected iranian targets in syria. Supplies destined for hezbollah lot have also been bombed in a low level war thats now. Ever been officially declared. Back to beirut. Assura or day of remembrance is one of the most sacred dates on the shia calendar. Here in the lebanese capital its the time one veteran sub the hezbollah militia are honored many of these men fought in syria its estimated that hezbollah lost more than 1500. 00 fighters in that war together with Iranian Forces they helped to keep the regime of Bashar Al Assad in power. Good it was slow time to go get over that. Was the families of those who have died in combat for hezbollah are given financial and Material Support hezbollah also runs schools and hospitals and has become an important Welfare Institution and lebanon i so how is the organization financed. With iranians voice be in the main bankroller of hezbollah hezbollah years ago diversified his portfolio and they have all kinds of Revenue Streams coming directly into the organization so a lot of it is chargeable donations from wealthy shia businessmen who support hezbollah perspectives follow the same applies on a smaller scale to hezbollah sport base but they also have a whole array of business not words. Hezbollah continues to grow in power and influence and is shifting the denominational power structure in lebanon in favor of shiites. Wealthy christian and sunni muslim families fear losing their influence. Corruption and nepotism which are widespread in levanon has also served to guarantee many of them a luxurious lifestyle. For years the sunnis had hoped they could keep hezbollah under their control. Lebanons former sunni Prime Minister saad hariri was no except. He followed in the footsteps of his father rafi korea and just like his father he tried to unite the lebanese under sunni leadership to this and he was prepared to make concessions that has belonged. The billionaire Building Contractor with lebanese saudi and french citizenship wanted to build on the legacy of his father who had been a dominant force in lebanese politics often curry it was assassinated in 2005. Kerry had been a beacon of hope not only for levanon and its National Agenda is a new unit he was also a figure with whom the sunnis identified the man who brought the cosmopolitan sunni elites back to the country well and who had also given greater emphasis to the sunni identity of lebanon model. But saad hariri is tolerance of the shia Hezbollah Movement did not go down well with saudi arabia the selfappointed protector of the sunnis. For years the saudis urged hurry to exert more pressure on hezbollah. The groups closeness to saudi arabias bitter rival iran was enough to infuriate the kingdom result of if he can force the saudis were always eager to have a foot in the door to wield power in lebanon and theyve achieved this in diverse ways vajra Investments Property and government bonds that they purchased the saudis big problem was that hariri who they placed so much faith in had not managed to suppress the interests of other powers in favor of saudi interests different person. I really did nothing to rein in hezbollah then during a state visit to the saudi capital riyadh in november 2017 he suddenly announced his resignation in a statement that completely contradicted his previous political line. Well yes. Any part of the. I am stepping down because i cannot accept disappointing the lebanese people. Over the last few years and decades hezbollah with its arsenal has repeatedly presented us with a fait accompli. That is sad enough. Thought of but then it claims that these weapons are for the resistance when in fact they are being used against our brothers in syria and yemen even against lebanese. Or yemeni you. Im going to have 19. So this day it remains unclear whether hariri was forced to step down but it took the intervention of french president Emmanuel Mcfaul before hariri was able to leave saudi arabia once back in lebanon he rescinded his resignation these political machinations only served to boost has been lost position a few months later the group had a strong showing in elections and a government led by hariri as ball law had 2 cabinet posts for the 1st time. Because the 1st to do this is the only your position in the middle. Refused to be part of the deed the managed to get. To control of the country. And today we are fighting alongside with a lot of independent personalities and the some groups from the Civil Society in order to form a large position to the to the way lebanon is being governed today. But perhaps the loudest opposition to the government has come from the streets with the countrys economy deteriorating fast hundreds of thousands turned out to protest on october 29th teens in beirut and across lebanon. They blamed the political elite for the countrys problems they demanded more chops a working administration and called on the government to resign many protesters were hoping for an end to lebanons sectarian divisions and power structure hezbollah was quick to respond sending in its supporters to intimidate the protesters. Asanas rolla was once again and evidence i the police sought to keep the 2 sides apart but the peaceful demonstration soon descended into violence. On october 29th saad hariri resigned as Prime Minister the rest of the government remained in office including has lost 2 ministers. Despite repeated requests for an interview no representative of hezbollah was willing to talk to us so instead we met with yes seen shop there hes a shiite and a long standing member of parliament. He sees hezbollah as indispensable. As well as the woman is the seen by many people as the upon the that the feed lives is the hope the believe the lebanese the news and the with all the threats continuously for the israelis that they. Could be a at least the better thing. There has been a politician for many years and has also held cabinet posts. He currently chairs the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs committee. When meeting with representatives of the Us Government support International Organizations like the world bank as seen here he resists all attempts to try to exert pressure on the lebanese government because it has been a lot. Washington is once again seeking to limit has full lost power and cut off its funding channels something sha bear finds inappropriate. Today is below is the present of the. Of. The foes follow the same bill that there was of them in government and they have a. Prison facial i mean theyre presenting. The chunk of people in the country so as lebanese i mean all the lebanese the factions have stayed to mean. Raising this issue in a negative way or asking us to put pressure here over who will lead to confrontation into a conflict within the country. But even many who up until now accepted hasbro law as a legitimate defender against israel are now realizing how dangerous the groups of course could be for lebanon. Laurie hi tony on is a popular blogger and activist she criticizes hezbollahs policy of sending its militia into conflicts elsewhere in the middle east because she believes it increases the chances of lebanon becoming employed in war. You half as well is the Lebanese Hezbollah woods defense been on. This is reality if and this in. The same time there is has been allowed says the regional players and this is where the division comes. The fact that hezbollah has become a state within a state is perhaps only part of a wider problem faced by lebannon that of politics being defined by religion and. Low or high tie on organizes meetings for women who want to bridge the divide between the religious groups. That are here christians and muslims are sitting at the same table. They believe this is the only way the country can progress. In the office so lets shovel live now to be and when the lebanese people have no voice and condiment apart from one or 2 politicians with a microphone in front of them of course everyone speaks the name of the lebanese people but in reality no one represents his politics and certainly concerned as defending the interests of the religious group adnan had a lot of ones who saw it has to be possible for us to live in this country and have our own convictions then there is hope of changing things but that can only happen if we challenge the political and sectarian regime we need a secular state which also respects the interests of Civil Society and. That in and walking the deep divisions within Lebanese Society have a long and violent history the challenge for any new reforms will be how to overcome the. Explosion in beirut has thrown everything into question the government has resigned paving the way for new elections and the protesters are back out on the streets they want an end to the sectarian divisions that many blame for the destruction of their country. Eco india. Telling tales with textiles from. Tibetan designer tenzin succeeds in doing so as a child he fled to northern india and stayed there. Is creations are a multicultural mix of indian style and to beckon tradition. And 30 minutes on d w. 50 w. News live from berlin at least one person is killed at a protest intrade no show wisconsin it comes as violence flares in the town for a 3rd night as demonstrators gathered to protest the shooting by police of 29 year old Black Mountain jake the flake on sunday. Also coming up she rarely speaks in public but last night the republicans did