BEIRUT -- Arab governments are starting to see the fingerprints of Lebanon's Hezbollah all over the Middle East, adding to their growing alarm over Iran's power and a widening Sunni-Shiite rift.
The worry comes at a time when Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group and political party backed by Iran, already is expected to make strong political gains inside Lebanon in June 7 elections.
The double whammy by Hezbollah - of growing political influence at home, coupled with more outreach abroad - has put the squeeze on traditional but waning Arab powers like Egypt, already rattled by President Barack Obama's outreach to their foe Iran.
"Hezbollah ..... (now) plays a role that is heavier, more important and influential than many Arab nations," said Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Lebanese expert on the group.
Nowhere has the feud been as overt as between Hezbollah and Egypt, which recently accused the Lebanese Shiite group of organizing a cell to carry out terror attacks inside Egypt. Read more ...
The worry comes at a time when Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group and political party backed by Iran, already is expected to make strong political gains inside Lebanon in June 7 elections.
The double whammy by Hezbollah - of growing political influence at home, coupled with more outreach abroad - has put the squeeze on traditional but waning Arab powers like Egypt, already rattled by President Barack Obama's outreach to their foe Iran.
"Hezbollah ..... (now) plays a role that is heavier, more important and influential than many Arab nations," said Amal Saad-Ghorayeb, a Lebanese expert on the group.
Nowhere has the feud been as overt as between Hezbollah and Egypt, which recently accused the Lebanese Shiite group of organizing a cell to carry out terror attacks inside Egypt. Read more ...
Source: AP
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