Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group, has named Naim Qassem as its new leader following the killing of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, over a month ago. Israel has called Qassem’s tenure “temporary” and hinted at a similar fate for him as his predecessor. Qassem, a 71-year-old who has been with Hezbollah since 1991, was elected by the group’s Shura Council, following its established procedure for choosing a secretary general. He lacks the charisma and gravitas of Nasrallah, according to many in Lebanon. Since taking over, Qassem has given three televised addresses, including one in which he expressed support for efforts to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Israel, on the other hand, has expressed skepticism about Qassem’s leadership and has called for the dismantling of Hezbollah as a military force. The Israeli government warned that Qassem’s tenure may be short-lived, similar to his predecessors Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, who were also killed in Israeli attacks. Safieddine, who was considered a likely successor to Nasrallah, was killed in Israeli strikes a week after Nasrallah’s death. Nasrallah was killed on September 27 in an Israeli air attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Since taking over as leader, Qassem has been thrust into the spotlight, conducting interviews with foreign media and addressing ongoing hostilities with Israel.
Photo credit
www.usatoday.com