THE ISLAMIC STATE AND JABHAT ALNUSRA; NEW ACTORS IN LEBANON?

Abstract

From a historical perspective, Lebanon’s social context has long been
conducive to the emergence and development of Sunni jihadism, but
the movement was too weak to challenge the status quo. However, the
Syrian Civil War has changed the balance of power, putting Hezbollah
on the defensive and weakening the Future Movement´s Sunni
leadership. This has allowed the Lebanese jihadists to cooperate with
the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, who see the Lebanese crisis as
an extension of the Syrian war. As a result, they are playing an increasingly
prominent role in the neighbouring country in a bid to spread
violence and overstretch the military capabilities of the Lebanese army
and Hezbollah.