ABSTRACT
The United States and Israel would destroy Iran in counterattacks. Iran supports Lebanon's Hizbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas. Israel seeks to weaken or eliminate those groups. Hizbollah has garnered support by operating hospitals, schools, and social service agencies. Hizbollah initially favored forming an Islamic state in Lebanon, similar to what exists in Iran. Hizbollah was a lot better armed and organized than either the United States or Israel imagined. While the United States still considers Hizbollah an enemy, the diplomat said the group had changed significantly. The Hitler analogy has been made against Saddam Hussein, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat, Egypt's President Anwar Sadat, and many other leaders opposed to Israeli policies. Human Rights Watch accused Hizbollah of war crimes for firing rockets indiscriminately into Israel, which killed both Israeli and Arab residents.
