Hezbollah gaps in communication are strangely echoing at a key moment in modern history. At the time when Yasser Arafat, an emblematic figure of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), conducted its operations from Tunisia, the management of communications between its Tunisian base and its forces in the occupied territories revealed flagrant weaknesses. This is at least what a recent article in the Jerusalem Post exposes, with a barely veiled hint of condescension, emphasizing the alleged Israeli technological “superiority”.
In the 1980s, Arafat used civil communication devices, often not encrypted, to coordinate its actions in the West Bank and Gaza. This technical negligence offered an easy opening to opposing forces, which were able to intercept these exchanges without great difficulty. Today, this historical error finds a surprising echo in the current situation of Hezbollah, another actor of resistance in the region.
The persistent weaknesses of Hezbollah
More recently, an operation undermined the communication devices of the Radwan force, an elite unit of Hezbollah. This technological attack caused a disorganization within the organization, temporarily limiting its ability to coordinate its operations. Without a secure communication infrastructure, any large -scale military action becomes not only hazardous, but also vulnerable.
Like the PLO under the direction of Arafat, Hezbollah seems to have underestimated the capital importance of securing its communication networks. This technological weakness remains an Achilles heel for paramilitary groups evolving in a region where surveillance systems are more and more efficient.
Tunisia: a previous revealer for resistance communication networks
The Tunisian episode of Arafat, which dates from the 1980s, was clearly not retained as a lesson by current resistance organizations. Using civilian technologies for sensitive exchanges, the PLO was exposed to interceptions that could have been avoided. This fault highlights a lack of preparation in the adoption of more secure technologies adapted to the challenges of the time.
Despite the technological progress made since since, this tendency to neglect the safety of communications persists in certain groups, including Hezbollah. Although better equipped than the PLO at the time, Hezbollah is now faced with similar challenges in terms of securing its communication infrastructure.
