On the anniversary of the Lebanese Brigades (Saraya), Al-Manar Website presents a documentary about its scope, foundation and experience.
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| Mostapha - a Saraya member whose full name cannot be displayed for security reasons |
Mostapha: “A dream which became true. We are all gathered here now. Sunnis, Druze, Shiites and Christians… We are all Lebanese brothers."
In a press conference on November 3rd 1997, Hezbollah Secretary General - Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah - announced the formation of a resistance brigade combining fighters from all existing confessions in Lebanon.
| The Dream Becomes True |
That date marked the birth of “Lebanese Brigades for Resisting the Israeli Occupation”. The brigades which regard every member on a national basis, unlike other Lebanese parties that often act upon their own political, ideological and religious beliefs.
The Saraya was launched as a full-scale framework of what is considered to be a modern evolution in the Lebanese awareness towards the Arab-Israeli conflict.
THE DEED PRECEDING THE SAY
Hezbollah’s Islamic Resistance (IR) devoted a considerable effort to train the “Saraya” fighters. Elite cadres were ready to carry out Sayyed Nasrallah’s decision and a phone number was assigned for those who were willing to meet their national obligation in resisting foreign occupation.
The IR spared no effort to supervise the preparatory steps of the recruited members in terms of military rehabilitation, equipping and training, within security conditions that protect the Lebanese Brigades from being penetrated.
As a military corps, the only two conditions for a Lebanese to join the Saraya were to have a physically sound body and to be completely free from any link with the Israeli enemy, so as not to jeopardize the Brigades’ security.
 George-another Saraya member |
George – a Saraya member whose full name cannot be displayed for security reasons– describes his first encounter with the Brigades as “The Dream.” “When I saw the phone number, I immediately picked up the phone and dialed it. Actually, I was sad to know that I wasn’t the first to call; I was the third. I wanted to be the first to respond to the call of duty to defend my homeland,” George said.
MOTIVES
The large scale response to this unique national call highlighted a historical moment and presented the “Saraya” as an evolutionary leap in the path of resistance that aimed at developing a list of priorities. The first and foremost was rooting the culture of hostility towards the Zionist enemy until liberating the Land, countering normalization, and establishing national and regional consensus.
The major motive that prompted Hezbollah to think seriously about forming the then-new military wing was the increasing importance to mobilize the young people’s potentials who were aspirants towards liberating the country and defending its people’s dignity, by creating a non-sectarian Lebanese umbrella for those who regarded engagement with the enemy in the battlefield as their prime cause.
Saraya members asserted that their willingness to put an end to injustice and occupation was their incentive.
In another speech, Sayyed Nasrallah said that the turnout had far exceeded what Hezbollah’s leadership had anticipated, and beyond his eminence’s personal expectations. He established the notion that Lebanon can build up young resistance fighters from all sects and not necessarily be Hezbollah members.
Anti-Hezbollah parties in Lebanon had been campaigning against the resistance party, accusing it of monopolizing the resistance and limiting it to Shiites, whereas they would have taken part in resisting the Israeli occupation if “such monopoly didn’t exist.” Yet, none of these parties took part in the Brigades.
THE START – MARCH 14, 1998
A five-month period of extensive training was enough for the Brigades’ resistance fighters to carry out their first military operation against the Israeli occupation army. They chose March 14 as their date. It was the same date that marked Israel invasion of Lebanon, 20 years earlier (1978). March 19, 1978, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 425 which stipulated an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories; another UNSCR that Israel never implemented. In May 2000, however, the resistance forced occupation forces out of most Lebanese territories.
For more info about Resolution 425 and related UN Security Council resolutions, click here
On the designated day, Sayyed Nasrallah assigned the target; the Islamic Resistance directly supervised the operation; and the Lebanese Saraya fighters were in control of the battlefield.
On March 14, 1998, at 05:00 am, the news shocked the Israeli government; fighters, not Hezbollah’s, were pounding Israeli barracks in south Lebanon. The Brigades’ first statement stressed the date had been chosen to affirm that “the Israeli enemy does not understand the logic of international laws and resolutions, but only the clear logic of force.”
The Saraya proved its effective presence on the front, and carried out a total of 400 operations. High military training also allowed Saraya fighters to carry out distinguished operations side by side with Islamic Resistance fighters.
JULY WAR
After the May 2000 withdrawal, there have been speculations that Hezbollah had dismantled the Lebanese Brigades, but the July 2006 war on Lebanon proved the contrary. The Saraya was mobilized since day one, and was fully ready to take part in defending the country if needed.
Saraya members were later deployed at the front lines in most Lebanese regions and proved to be competent, vigilant, and ready to repel any Israeli aggression with their brothers in the Islamic Resistance.
HAJJ IMAD
The Lebanese Brigades, while celebrating its anniversary, miss the martyr leader Hajj Imad Moghnieh; one of the great leaders who oversaw the Saraya from birth to maturity, and was assured that these fighters will contribute to shape up the future of the dear homeland.
Today, the Saraya is still a stand-alone experience surrounded by exceptional circumstances, a unifying framework for patriotic fighters from different political and sectarian dispositions, thus reflecting how effective Lebanon’s mosaic can be.
Always and forever, the Lebanese Brigades renew pledge to their commitment to the option of resistance & defense. Belonging to the homeland and absolute hostility to the Israeli occupier shall remain their motto away from political and confessional rivalry.
Watch Saraya operations
