The Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah declared on Tuesday, October 29, the election of Sheikh Naim Qassem as its Secretary General, succeeding Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel on September 27. The declaration came days after the group confirmed the assassination of the head of its executive council, Hashem Safieddine, in an Israeli airstrike three weeks earlier. Prior to his assassination, analysts speculated that Safieddine was proposed to take the helm of Hezbollah after Nasrallah.
Sheikh Naim Qassem was named as Hezbollah’s new chief after the group’s Shura Council agreed to elect him, according to a statement published on Hezbollah-run Al Manar news network.
Following the announcement of Qassem’s election, Palestinian resistance movements hailed the decision congratulating Hezbollah new Secretary General on his appointment. The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas described the election of Qassem as an evidence of Hezbollah’s recovery, reaffirming its support for the new leadership. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement also congratulated Hezbollah, saying that Qassem’s appointment demonstrates the group’s “high capability to confront the enemy, thwart its aggression, and foil its plans”, at this sensitive stage.
Explicitly threatening Hezbollah, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant shared a photo of Qassem on his account on X, on Tuesday, saying in the caption: “Temporary appointment. Not for long”.
Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem?
Sheikh Naim Qassem was one of the religious scholars who contributed to the establishment of Hezbollah in 1982 in response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. In 1991, Qassem was appointed by Abbas al-Musawi, Hezbollah’s Secretary General at that time, as the group’s deputy chief. One year later, al-Musawi was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike, and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah took over as Hezbollah Secretary General. Qassem remained deputy chief until Nasrallah’s assassination.
Qassem was known for his frequent public appearances since Nasrallah largely went into hiding after Israel’s aggression on Lebanon in 2006. A couple of days after Nasrallah was assassinated, Qassem appeared in a televised speech mourning his companion and confirming that Hezbollah will continue fighting Israel to support Gaza and Palestine, and to defend Lebanon and its people.