THE ISRAELI-ARAB CONFLICTS: A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE 2006 ISRAELI-HAMAS-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT

Abstract

The region of the world known as the Middle East has witnessed complex and enormous conflicts which require consistent and persistent radical approach to peace initiatives. Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, the region has witnessed frequent hostilities between the Arabs and Israel. The 2006 conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah in Lebanon was an expose of the keen competition for military supremacy between Israel and the “terrorist” organisation – the Hezbollah. This paper seeks to examine the historical background of the crisis in this region and the root causes of the Israeli-Hamas-Hezbollah conflict in 2006 and suggest possible ways for comprehensive peace in the region. It is the position of this paper that lack of concrete efforts and commitment by the international community to look for a peaceful resolution of the conflict anchored on compromise, equity and mutual respect among the warring groups complicated the situation. There is no gainsaying that years of lack of attention and culpable neglect have crippled forces of pragmatism throughout the region and the achievement of peace immeasurably more difficult. It was expected that the Israeli-Hamas-Hezbollah conflict would have formed a plank for endurable peace settlement in the Middle East region. This paper will therefore examine why such expectation became a mirage.