The likes of Hamas and Hezbollah, though Sunni and Shiite respectively, have been allies for years because of common enemies. A one-time cozy partnership appears to be changing in Syria as Hezbollah is reportedly fighting the Sunni rebels on behalf of Bashar Al-Assad.
Via Jerusalem Post:
The Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah has confirmed that its members are in Syria fighting on behalf of the government, United Nations human rights investigators said on Thursday.
There are also reports that Iraqi Shias are coming to fight in Syria, and Iran confirmed in September that its Revolutionary Guards are in Syria providing assistance, the independent investigators led by Brazilian expert Paulo Pinheiro said in their latest 10-page report.
The confirmation of Hezbollah involvement in the Syrian civil war heightens concerns that the regime may pass chemical weapons to the terrorist group. Earlier in December, Israel’s ambassador to Washington Michael Oren warned that Israel will act if Syria passes chemical weapons into Hezbollah’s hands.
“We have a very clear red line about those weapons passing into the wrong hands,” Oren told Fox News. “Were those weapons to pass into the wrong hands, into Hezbollah’s hands for example, that would be a game changer for us.”
This development makes it clear that the Sunni rebels are achieving far too much success for Iran’s comfort.
Both Hezbollah’s decision to fight the rebels, coupled with talk of Assad giving the group chemical weapons, indicate desperation.