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The Hizbullah Beeper Attack: Israel's Psychological Warfare

(Jerusalem Post) Dr. Irwin J. Mansdorf - There is a psychological asymmetry in fighting an Islamist opponent, which works against the stronger party. If Hizbullah survives, it can claim victory. And, just as for Hamas - its ideological twin in Gaza, sacrificing the lives of its people does not deter Hizbullah from continuing the fight. So how will psychological pressure work against those whose value system is such that conventional losses are computed on a scale different from what Western culture is used to? In an Islamist world, a belief system that stands against reality provides the fuel to continue. Unless the cost-benefit ratio of adhering to that ideology changes, Hizbullah will continue to fight and attack as long as it can - however it can. Yet, unlike Hamas in Gaza, Hizbullah faces real opposition within Lebanon. Alienating the non-Shiite population of Lebanon is not a Hizbullah interest. For an organization whose motivation stems from an unwavering ideology, conventional reality testing does not come easy, but history has taught that it nevertheless sets limits to its losses. We don't know what Hizbullah's breaking point will be, but Israel must continue to take steps that deepen the psychological effect on Lebanon. The writer is a senior fellow and analyst in political psychology at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs and a member of the Emergency Division of the IDF Home Front Command.
2024-09-24 00:00:00
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