June 6, 2006: The Hizbollah organization in Lebanon, a Shia Arab terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of Israel, and Shia control of Lebanon, is under fire by media attacks from several sides. A Lebanese TV station recently ran a comedy show that made fun of Hizbollah. This caused Hizbollah supporters to demonstrate, block highways and try to enter Christian neighborhoods (it was a Christian owned TV station involved). Police kept the angry Shia Arabs away from the Christian Arabs. But it got worse, as a message from al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi, on the radio, called for the disarmament of Hizbollah. Zarqawi, like most al Qaeda members, consider Shias to be heretics. In Iraq, Zarqawi has had his terrorists deliberately kill Shia whenever possible. Non-Shia Lebanese don't like Hizbollah, but rarely get beyond nasty comments or satire. No one in Lebanon wants another civil war.

Shia Arabs comprise about 35 percent of Lebanese, and have long suffered at the hands of Lebanese non-Shia Moslems, and Christians, who comprise the other 65 percent of the population. Hizbollah arose during the 1975-90 Lebanese civil war, and grew mighty during the 1980s, as Iran was taken over by Shia clerics. Iran then began supplying Hizbollah with weapons, cash and technical advisors. This "foreign interference" has long been resented in Lebanon. But Hizbollah is staffed, and led, by Lebanese Shia. Moreover, Hizbollah has largely restricted its terrorist activities to Israel. However, the name calling and snide remarks could escalate to violence. They often do.