From French Underground to Hezbollah: Resistance Reframed, Not Terrorism

There’s much to be proud of about being an Australian—it’s a nation that has prided itself on the integrity of its fairness and inclusivity, the freedom of individualism, and its expression.

So how is it then that this pride has manifested into humiliating embarrassment, where, as a nation, Australia is now exhibiting levels of ignorance and naivety so disturbing that it is beginning to resemble American stupidity—apologies to all my American friends?

Two days ago, Australian protestors in Melbourne attended a rally against the ongoing slaughter and terror enacted by Israel toward Palestine and now Lebanon. Israel’s plans for expansionism bear no limits. It has stolen Palestine, and now it wants to steal Lebanon. Among those protesting were people waving Hezbollah flags.

Australia is a democracy—a place of free speech where the right to speak your mind is welcomed or so is thought. Well, it appears as a nation, Australia has descended into an authoritarian state, if not fully, then partially. Freedom of speech is acceptable only if you conform to the narratives of the state.

Australia is in trouble, and so are those Hezbollah flag-waving protestors whose only act was waving flags. But to Australia’s Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus, waving a Hezbollah flag warrants a knock on the door from the Australian Federal Police.

Dreyfus, like many Australians and the West, remain ignorant of what and who Hezbollah are and do, having been captured by Zionist and US propaganda, designed, as always, to demonise anyone who stands against them.

The war between Israel and resistance movements like Hamas and Hezbollah continue to be framed by Western governments and media as part of a broader war on terrorism. However, the realities and the contexts in which these groups arise suggest Israel and the US are engaged in a war they can’t win. This war isn’t simply a military struggle—it’s rooted in decades of occupation, repression, and the legitimate desire for national liberation. The forces of resistance, driven by deeply entrenched historical and ideological foundations, can’t be defeated by the US and Israel.

Like the French Resistance during World War II, Hamas and Hezbollah are fighting not just for political power but for survival, justice, and freedom from occupation—making the war that Israel and the US have unleashed not just unwinnable, but unsustainable.

Israel and the US have always believed superior military power can defeat resistance movements like Hamas and Hezbollah. Over decades, the US and Israel have unleashed devastating military campaigns, resulting in the destruction of infrastructure, the deaths of thousands of civilians, and mass displacement. The US and its allies, like the UK, believe through overwhelming force, they can stamp out the resistance.

History, however, has shown military might is insufficient to defeat resistance movements.

The French Resistance is one example. Despite Nazi Germany’s military superiority, French commandos continued to resist throughout the war. The brutality of the occupation only strengthened the French resolve.

Every Israeli military offensive against Hamas or Hezbollah hasn’t led to their eradication; instead, it’s strengthened their resistance and increased their popular support. Hamas and Hezbollah, like the French Resistance, are fighting for liberation from occupation and for the survival of their people.Neither Hezbollah or Hamas can be bombed into submission.

Central to any resistance movement is prolonged oppression. Hamas and Hezbollah arose not because of an inherent desire for violence, but because of the conditions created by Israel’s occupation and the US’s support of Israeli policies.

Hamas was born out of the First Intifada in 1987. After decades of Israeli military occupation, expanding settlements, and political disenfranchisement, Palestinians saw no other choice but to resist. The violence and displacement that Palestinians experienced, particularly in events like the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacres in Lebanon, left many convinced that armed resistance was the only way forward.

Hezbollah like Hamas, was formed in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and its subsequent occupation. Israel’s military incursions, combined with the West’s indifference to the suffering of the Lebanese, created fertile ground for Hezbollah to grow into a formidable resistance movement.

Just as the French underground were, Hamas and Hezbollah are motivated by a desire to liberate their people from occupation—giving them popular legitimacy.

Western governments and media have long sought to paint these resistance movements as nothing more than terrorist organisations. It’s an appalling narrative that serves to justify Israel’s military operations and the West’s complicity in occupation, ignoring why Hezbollah and Hamas exist. The West has constructed a narrative that conveniently frames them as terrorists while turning a blind eye to the decades of occupation, repression, and violence inflicted on Palestinian and Lebanese people.

The narrative obscures the war crimes committed by Israel and supported by the US. Resistance movements are often born in response to these very acts of violence. The French Resistance didn’t arise out of a vacuum; it was a direct response to the horrors of Nazi occupation, just as Hamas and Hezbollah.

The West’s narrative downplays the existence of Hamas and Hezbollah is rooted in decades of failed diplomacy and systemic violence, portraying them as mindless terrorists rather than a resistance that mirrors many historical precedents. The framing of them as terrorist organisations allows Israel and the US to deflect attention from the war crimes they continually commit like violations of international law, the expansion of illegal settlements, and the imposition of a suffocating blockade on Gaza.

No more glaring example of the West’s ignorance is the belief that the death of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, spells the end of Hezbollah. It’s an assumption that reveals such a profound level of ignorance about Hezbollah’s structure, ideological foundation, and the resilience of its supporters. Hezbollah isn’t a cult of personality, nor does its strength rest with one man, albeit Hassan Nasrallah is viewed not only as a political giant but as the greatest Arab leader of all time.

He was a symbol and icon that transcended far beyond Lebanon. He was a symbol for national liberation and an end to colonialism. A symbol for freedom and peace around the world and for an end to hegemony. And the rallies taking placing around many parts of the world and throughout the Middle East lay testament to that. Hezbollah is deeply entrenched in the community it represents.

Nasrallah, who has led Hezbollah since the early 1990s, was undoubtedly a powerful figure, but he ensured the movement is far from a one-man operation. Just as leaders in the French Resistance were often replaced after their deaths or capture, Nasrallah has trained successors who could easily step into his shoes. His death has galvanised Hezbollah further, strengthening its resolve rather than diminishing it.

Believing Hezbollah will crumble without Nasrallah reflects the West’s failure to understand how resistance movements work. They’re driven by ideological commitments and popular support that can’t be easily dismantled by the removal of a single leader. The notion Nasrallah’s death has diminished and weakened Hezbollah isn’t only naive but demonstrates a fundamental ignorance of the complex dynamics of resistance and the motivations sustaining them.

Why Israel and the US can’t win rests with their failure to address the underlying causes. Military might can destroy buildings and take lives, but it cannot extinguish the desire for freedom and justice. The oppression, occupation, and massacres that sparked the formation of Hamas and Hezbollah continue to fuel their existence. No amount of airstrikes, ground invasions, or political demonisation will erase the historical memory of displacement or the reality of living under occupation.

History has consistently shown resistance movements born out of genuine grievances are incredibly impossible, to defeat. Hamas and Hezbollah continue to gain strength, especially as Israel’s occupation drags on and the suffering of the Palestinians and Lebanese remain unaddressed.

Each Israeli or US military operation that results in civilian casualties or the destruction of homes only strengthens the resolve of Hezbollah and Hamas. The more Israel attempts to crush Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon, the more popular support they gain. The French Resistance grew in response to Nazi atrocities, and Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements are continuously bolstered by the ongoing repression they face.

One of the most glaring problems the West faces is its profound ignorance of history.

The US and Israel are repeating the mistakes of past empires, believing their military dominance will break the will of those fighting for their freedom. But as with the French Resistance during World War II, the spirit of resistance among Palestinians and Lebanese cannot be subdued.

Furthermore, US policymakers consistently underestimate the extent to which these movements are supported by local populations. Hezbollah, for instance, is not simply a militia—it is a political party with deep social roots in Lebanon, particularly among the Shiite population.

It runs schools, hospitals, and social services, providing vital support in areas neglected by the central government. Hamas is not just a militant group but also a political organisation that provides social services and infrastructure in Gaza. The Western narrative, which paints these groups as purely terroristic, ignores the role they play in their communities and the popular support they command.

Israel and the US are fighting a war they can’t win because they are trying to suppress movements that are fighting for their people’s survival and liberation. The French Resistance couldn’t be defeated by military force alone, and neither can Hamas or Hezbollah. They represent not just political factions but deep-seated resistance to occupation and foreign control, driven by the same forces that have historically fueled resistance movements across the world.

Unless Israel and the US are willing to address the underlying causes of this conflict—the occupation, the denial of Palestinian statehood, and the systemic repression of Palestinian and Lebanese populations—they will continue to face growing resistance. Every military strike, every massacre, and every expansion of settlements only strengthens the resolve of those fighting against these injustices.

In the end, the West’s belief it can bomb its way to peace is historically ignorant. It’s a war born of occupation and repression, and it will continue as long as those conditions persist.

History has shown time and again that resistance movements don’t die easily—and they certainly don’t die when their people are still fighting for justice

The power of Hassan Nasrallah will live on well beyond his assassination