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Resistance and Arab Uprisings

Published on 07 November 2012, by M. Tomazy.
There is no doubt that Arab Uprisings have affected the Resistance in Palestine and Lebanon.
Arab Uprisings were imposed on both Hezbollah and Hamas in paradoxical  means due to many objective reasons.
The main bulk of Resistance in the last decade, constituted Hezbollah and Hamas in addition to small Palestinian organizations such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, PFLP, PFLP-GC and other Palestinian organizations.
Although Hamas and Hezbollah were similar in Resistance, they relate to different Islamic doctrines (Sunni and Shiite respectively).

Hassan Nasrallah  (to the right) and Khaled Meshaal (to the left)
Hamas and Hezbollah corroborated Uprisings in : Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya but they are different , even paradoxical in regard to Uprisings in : Syria and Bahrain.

Hezbollah has chosen to be stable on the ideological principles with less regard to losing popularity among Arabs because of Standing beside the Syrian regime. However, Hamas has chosen Utilitarian and Pragmatic position, with the pretext of standing beside the Syrian people, despite repression in Gaza Strip.
The other gross factor influenced Hamas is that it is a religious Sunni organization ( i.e, the Palestinian military branch of Muslim brotherhood), while Hezbollah is Shiite organization, this indeed pushed Hamas to Stand with the Syrian opposition inwhich the Muslim brotherhood  constitute the bulk of the Syrian National Council.
Ismail Haniyeh honors King of Bahrain during his visit to Manama
While the popular protests in Bahrain were in its heyday, Ismail Haniyeh, one of Hamas leaders, visited the capital, "Manama" to meet the king of Bahrain. 

In the beginning of the Syrian Uprising --which is transformed into civil war-- Hamas has taken  neutral  position, while Hezbollah insisted to choose the dialogue between the Syrian regime and opposition as the tool of change in Syria.
Many reports pointed that Iran tried to press on Hamas to stand "morally" with the Syrian regime, so the conflict in Syria would not take the form of Sectarian  conflict, but Hamas completely refused that. 
Another gross factor affected Hamas unlike Hezbollah which is Hamas rules Gaza Strip and The Western countries will not legitimize and deal with Hamas as long as it stand with Iran, Meantime, Hamas needs that "recognition" since it responsible for  nearly 1,5 million Palestinian citizens in Gaza Strip.

For Hamas, "Re-positioning" should  need to change behavior, and so the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani who is Number-one Supporter of the (Muslim brotherhood of Syria), together with Hamas have the same interests to weave new relation, by which the Emir offers "Money" for "Political Positions". Thereafter, Emir of Qatar had a visit to Gaza Strip carrying promises to re-construct Gaza Strip after the massive destruction during Gaza war (2008/2009). 
Hezbollah has kept the same adopted  Strategy  from the beginning, by which the only solution in Syrian must be Political without direct external interfering and always remind the Arab people that.

Eventually, The Arab Uprisings have divided the "Axis of Resistance" and Hamas has been re-positioned in the other Axis, Meanwhile, Hezbollah also faces serious challenges due to supporting the Syrian regime and the internal pressure by the other Lebanese Antagonist (March 14 coalition), this will indeed form New Concepts and Members in both Adversary axises in the region, so it would be logic for the new Iraq to join the "Axis of resistance" and the new Egypt to stay in the "Axis of Moderation".