In this episode, we trace the turbulent history that links the Palestinian armed struggle, Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and the emergence of Hezbollah as a powerful force in the region. From the PLO’s “state-within-a-state” in southern Lebanon to the devastation of Operation Peace in Galilee and the Sabra and Shatila massacres, we examine how cycles of repression and resistance reshaped the landscape of liberation movements. We explore the social and political conditions of Lebanon’s Shi’ite community, the influence of the Iranian Revolution, and how Hezbollah rose from the ashes of the PLO’s expulsion to become the first guerrilla group to force Israel from occupied territory.

Timestamps

Intro
0:00 – 4:45 — Introduction

DIALECTICS OF REPRESSION & RESISTANCE | Framework for Interpretation
4:45 – 14:06 — Overview of the dialectical relationship between colonial repression and anti-colonial resistance

THE PLO & ISRAEL IN LEBANON | Context for the 1982 Invasion

14:06 – 34:46
— The PLO “State-Within-a-State”
— ‘Eretz Israel’ Expansionism and Lebanon
— The Sharon Plan
— “...NOT OURS TO DESTROY” | Operation Peace in Galilee & PLO Expulsion

HEZBOLLAH FROM THE ASHES OF THE PLO

34:46 – 53:44
— The Shi’ites of Southern Lebanon
— The Iranian Revolution
— The Party of God Forms

THE RESISTANCE IS HEZBOLLAH AND HEZBOLLAH IS THE RESISTANCE 53:44 – 1:13:52

— The Resistance Priority & Logic
— Breaking Prestige | The Aura of Invincibility Destroyed, 1985–2000
— The Second Intifada, 2000–2005
— “The Greatest Guerrilla Group in the World”

Conclusion
1:13:52 – 1:17:16 — Conclusion

In this episode of InSight by Al Fida'i Media Network (AFMN), host Anton Manley delves into the complex web of geopolitical struggles and the socio-economic ramifications of de-development in Syria and the broader Arab-Iranian region. He is joined by Patrick Higgins, Ph.D., a historian from the University of Houston specializing in U.S. imperialism in West Asia (“the Middle East”) and the Palestinian liberation movement.

Originally recorded on January 19, 2025, this episode captures the cautious hope surrounding the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza while setting the stage for a broader discussion on de-development, imperialism, and resistance—particularly in the context of Syria’s protracted internal conflicts over the past century.

Anton and Patrick unravel the intricate layers of Syria’s political landscape, tracing the rise of the Ba'ath Party after 1963 and examining how imperialist powers imposed de-development regimes to stifle Syria’s economic and political sovereignty. Patrick brings his expertise on anti-imperialist struggles in the Arab world, drawing from his research on how Palestinian and Arab revolutionary movements from the 1940s to the 1970s understood and resisted U.S. intervention. 

This episode seeks to deepen listeners' understanding of Syria’s ongoing strife while illuminating the broader geopolitical forces that shape the Arab-Iranian region. It offers a critical examination of Western policies and highlights the urgent need for coherent, theoretically grounded activism in support of true sovereignty and self-determination for oppressed nations.

Patrick’s work explores the strategies and ideologies of key movements, including the Palestine Communist Party, the Movement of Arab Nationalists, the Nasserists, the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, and the constituent factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). For Patrick's writings on Syria see… 

Gunning for Damascus: The US War on the Syrian Arab Republic

The Enemy at Home: U.S. Imperialism in Syria

The War on Syria

Syria and the French Empire from WWI to Present

The Tropes of Anti-Anti Imperialism, Part 1: The Rise of Imperialist Internationalism

The Tropes of Anti-Anti Imperialism, Part 2: False Regionalisms

The Tropes of Anti-Anti Imperialism, Part 3: Palestine and the War on Syria

The Firmest Bonds: Arab Nationalism and the Left, Part 1

Victims of Propaganda: In Defense of the Palestinian Left

Applied Internationalism: Arab Nationalism and the Left, Part 2

War Within a War

In this episode of Al Falasteniyeh Media Network (AFMN), host Anton Manley sits down with Dr. Max Ajl, scholar and author, to discuss the latest developments in Syria and their implications for the broader resistance axis. From shifting geopolitical dynamics to the steadfast resilience of anti-imperialist movements, they delve into how Syria’s struggles are intertwined with the broader fight against Western hegemony in the region. Join us for an in-depth exploration of the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of resistance, as well as what these developments mean for Palestine, Lebanon, and beyond.

In this episode of The inSight AFMN’s Lead Editor, Anton Manley, interviews researcher and founder of Hamra Books, Aldan Marki, regarding the martyrdom of Yahya Sinwar, who he was and the more general situation of the Axis of Resistance as it currently stands.

Welcome to our new sub-series, The inSight, where we cover breaking developments regarding the resistance against the zionist entity. This episode is an interview between AFMN's lead editor Anton Manley and Matteo Capasso, Marxist Academic and Chief Editor of Middle East Critique. In this debut episode, we cover the rapidly escalating situation in Lebanon by touching on the pager attack and the Martyrdom of Nasrallah as it relates to the military and strategic capabilities of Hezbollah.

In this episode, we explore the life and politics of the martyr Nizar Banat, the Palestinian activist who fearlessly critiqued corruption within the Palestinian Authority until his tragic death. We delve into Banat’s legacy, his calls for reform, adherence to support for the resistance and how his activism resonated with movements beyond Palestine. We then turn to Iran we take a critical look at the so-called “Women, Life, Freedom” movement in Iran, dissecting the political agendas behind it and its alignment with Western narratives that aim to destabilize the Iranian government.

In this episode, Abdullah Shehadeh is invited to discuss the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh and its ramifications on the region on the show ‘Guerrilla History' with Adnan Hussein, Henry Hakamäki and Matteo Capasso.