Elsker, elsker ikke … Libanon, Palestina og Syria

The document examines how the Syrian conflict destabilizes the 'resistance front' (Syria, Iran, Hizballah, and Hamas) and alters regional power balances. In Lebanon, the crisis exacerbates sectarian tensions and threatens Hizballah's strategic supply lines. In the Occupied Palestinian Territories, it has forced Hamas to shift its political alignment from Damascus to Qatar and Egypt, potentially strengthening Hamas relative to Fatah but not necessarily advancing the Palestinian national cause. The authors argue that the 'new Arab cold war' framework is becoming less relevant as the Syrian regime collapses and regional actors like Egypt seek new diplomatic paths.

• The 'new Arab cold war' is characterized by a divide between 'the resistance front'—comprising Hamas, Hizballah, Syria, and Iran—and Western-aligned regimes led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
• The Syrian conflict severely threatens Hizballah because Syria has served as a critical conduit for Iranian weapons and personnel, and as a source of political cover.
• Hamas underwent a dramatic strategic reorientation in early 2012, moving its political office from Damascus to Qatar and Cairo after the Syrian regime's crackdown on Islamists.
• Hamas's shift toward Qatar and Egypt may have paradoxically strengthened its position relative to Fatah, though it has not yet provided new momentum for the Palestinian liberation struggle against Israel.
• In Lebanon, the Syrian crisis has intensified the risk of 'fitna' (sectarian conflict) between Sunnis and Shiites, with Hizballah increasingly using intimidation and power against opponents.
• The analytical utility of the 'Arab cold war' concept is diminishing as the Syrian regime collapses and new diplomatic movements occur, such as Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi's 2012 visit to Tehran.

APA

Kverme, K. E., & Høigilt, J. (2012). Elsker, elsker ikke … Libanon, Palestina og Syria. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/151c1c13-10c2-4a2e-8459-56547136fbf0/Elsker elsker ikke Libanon Palestina og Syria.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Kverme, Kai E., and Jacob Høigilt. Elsker, elsker ikke … Libanon, Palestina og Syria. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2012. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/151c1c13-10c2-4a2e-8459-56547136fbf0/Elsker elsker ikke Libanon Palestina og Syria.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kverme |first1=Kai E. |last2=Høigilt |first2=Jacob |title=Elsker, elsker ikke … Libanon, Palestina og Syria |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2012 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/151c1c13-10c2-4a2e-8459-56547136fbf0/Elsker elsker ikke Libanon Palestina og Syria.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kverme2012elsker, author = {Kverme, Kai E. and Høigilt, Jacob}, title = {{Elsker, elsker ikke … Libanon, Palestina og Syria}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2012}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/151c1c13-10c2-4a2e-8459-56547136fbf0/Elsker elsker ikke Libanon Palestina og Syria.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }