HomeFeaturesNaim Qassem Succeeds Slain Leader As Hezbollah's Deputy

Naim Qassem Succeeds Slain Leader As Hezbollah’s Deputy

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Hezbollah’s deputy head, Naim Qassem, was appointed as the new leader of the movement on Tuesday, succeeding Hassan Nasrallah after his death in an Israeli strike on southern Beirut last month.

Qassem’s ascension to leadership comes during a critical period for Hezbollah, which faces intensified scrutiny and challenges both domestically and from neighboring adversaries, requiring a steady hand to guide the group forward.

“Hezbollah’s (governing) Shura Council agreed to elect… Sheikh Naim Qassem as secretary general of Hezbollah,” the Iran-backed group said in a statement, more than a month after Nasrallah’s killing.

Hezbollah pledged to keep “the flame of resistance burning” until victory is achieved against Israel after all-out war erupted on September 23.

In an immediate counteraction to Hezbollah’s announcement, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned on X that Naim Qassem’s leadership would be “not for long.” This statement signals Israel’s intention to remain vigilant and assertive against Hezbollah, suggesting that the newly appointed leader may face significant challenges ahead from Israeli forces determined to curb the group’s power.

In a post written in Hebrew on social media, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that the “countdown has begun,” a phrase that suggests a forthcoming Israeli response to Hezbollah’s leadership change.

Sources close to Hezbollah revealed that Naim Qassem was elected by the group’s five-member Shura Council, its central decision-making body, just two days ahead of Tuesday’s announcement. This rapid development signals that Hezbollah is preparing for intensified challenges ahead.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak to the media, the source indicated that a new Shura Council would be established following the war. This move may signify Hezbollah’s recognition of the need for adaptive leadership as it faces the repercussions of the current conflict, potentially reshaping its approach to both governance and military strategy.

The source stated that the council could either choose to elect a new leader or allow Qassem to continue leading. Having spent much of his political career in the shadow of Hassan Nasrallah, whose reputation as one of the most influential and enigmatic figures in the Middle East looms large, Qassem now faces the challenge of defining his own leadership style and direction for the group.

Hashem Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah’s executive council, was initially tipped to succeed Nasrallah.

But he too was killed in an Israeli air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs shortly after Nasrallah’s death.

Hezbollah’s Palestinian ally Hamas, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war in the Gaza Strip, welcomed Qassem’s election.

“We consider this election evidence of the party’s recovery from the targeting” of its leaders, Hamas said in a statement, pledging “support for the new leadership”.

Qassem, 71, was one of Hezbollah’s founders in 1982 and had been the party’s deputy secretary general since 1991, the year before Nasrallah took the helm.

He was born in Beirut in 1953 to a family from the village of Kfar Fila on the border with Israel.

He was the most senior Hezbollah official to continue making public appearances after Nasrallah largely went into hiding after the group’s 2006 war with Israel.

Since Nasrallah was killed in a major Israeli airstrike on September 27, Qassem has taken to television with three addresses, communicating in a more formal Arabic than the casual Lebanese dialect often used by Nasrallah.

Read also: New Israeli Strikes: Gaza Death Toll Reaches 20

Although Qassem may not possess the same charisma or rhetorical prowess as his predecessor, he assured viewers that the group would soon appoint a new leader, aiming to reassure followers during this challenging transition.

He asserted that Hezbollah’s military capabilities remain strong and fully operational, while also supporting the initiatives led by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to negotiate a ceasefire. This endorsement highlights the group’s commitment to maintaining its strategic position while seeking a peaceful resolution to ongoing hostilities.

On October 15, Qassem stated in his latest speech that a ceasefire is the only means by which Israel can guarantee the return of its residents to the northern areas. This assertion is made in light of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict that erupted last month, following a year marked by escalating cross-border confrontations.

Israel heightened its military offensive against Hezbollah strongholds on September 23, initiating ground operations and killing several key leaders within the group. According to an AFP tally based on health ministry figures, over 1,700 people have died in Lebanon since that date, although the actual number is likely to be much greater due to discrepancies and gaps in the data collected.

Israel’s military reported on Tuesday that it has suffered the loss of 37 soldiers since it initiated ground operations in Lebanon on September 30. This casualty figure serves as a stark reminder of the conflict’s severity, as Israeli forces engage in fierce battles against Hezbollah fighters.

The Eastern Updates 

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