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The civil war in Syria – the one into which Hezbollah was drawn almost from its first day – presented a multi-systemic challenge for an organization that was forced not only to endanger its soldiers on a distant front, but also to explain to its supporters why it chose to do so. In this context, Israel perceived the war as significant from the start because of its potential to link the Syrian and Israeli arenas in an effort to show that Hezbollah continues to defend Lebanon from Israel’s subtle aggression.

Beyond direct confrontation, Israel and Hezbollah have been waging a psychological war for many years with various layers and characteristics. This war intensifies against the backdrop of the rapprochement between Israel and the Arab countries in recent years, which largely stems from the growing Iranian threat in the region resulting in increased legitimization of Israeli activity and presence in the region. Thus, the Lebanese Hezbollah is making a considerable attempt to tarnish Israel’s image in the eyes of Arab public opinion and to portray it as the root of the violence in the region.

During the month of January, the Lebanese Hezbollah’s Al-Manar network broadcast a three-part “documentary” program, about two hours long, called “Syria – The Other Narrative.”[1] Its creators accused Israel of promoting a plan to divide Syria even before the Arab Spring. In the campaign that preceded the broadcast, it promised to “expose” Israel’s involvement in the Syrian war, including an Israeli network of Mossad agents disguised as “social activists” working with American intelligence organizations to undermine Arab unity. It should be noted that this was not the first report on Israel’s role in the Syrian campaign. Similar reports have appeared both in the media loyal to Hezbollah and on Syrian networks.[2]

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