Hezbollah’s statement pledged the movement’s commitment to maintain the legacy of Hassan Nasrallah.
The Shura Council of the Lebanese Resistance movement Hezbollah announced on Tuesday that it elected Sheikh Naim Qassem as Secretary-General.
Qassem succeeds the late Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel on September 27 in the southern district of Beirut.
A statement issued by the group said that the decision to elect Sheikh Qassem is “grounded in the principles of true Islam and the steadfast ideals of Hezbollah, follows the party’s established procedures for selecting the Secretary-General.”
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Hezbollah’s statement pledged the movement’s commitment to maintain the legacy of Hassan Nasrallah.
“We pledge to God Almighty, to the soul of our beloved martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may God be pleased with him), to the martyrs, to the Islamic resistance fighters, and to our resilient and loyal people, to work together to fulfill Hezbollah’s principles and goals,” the statement read.
The statement also stressed Hezbollah’s commitment to resistance, extending well wishes to Sheikh Qassem for leading the movement, and upholding “the responsibility of preserving the resistance and raising its banner until victory.”
Who is the New Secretary-General?
Hezbollah’s new Secretary-General was born in 1953 in the Basta al-Tahta neighborhood, in the Lebanese capital.
His family originated from the village of Kfar Fila in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region, in the south of Lebanon.
Qassem’s educational background includes a degree in chemistry, which he taught for a couple of years, along with religious studies in jurisprudence and Islamic fundamentals.
The new secretary-general is considered to be a prominent figure in the Lebanese resistance.
He was appointed as deputy secretary-general in 1991 under the late Abbas al-Musawi, who was killed by Israel in 1992. He maintained his position when Nasrallah took over as secretary-general following al-Musawi’s assassination.
His political career kicked off with the Amal movement in 1974, which was founded by Imam Musa al-Sadr. Following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, in 1982, he left the group to found, along with others, Hezbollah.
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According to Al-Mayadeen, Sheikh Qassem has been elected to Hezbollah’s Shura Council three times, managing various portfolios, including the Executive Council and educational activities.
Moreover, he has been the general coordinator of Hezbollah’s parliamentary election campaigns since the group first ran in 1992. He is considered one of Hezbollah’s prominent spokesmen.
Following the assassination of Nasrallah, Sheikh Qassem delivered several speeches outlining the movement’s unwavering commitment towards resistance.
Qassam authored several books, most notably ‘Hezbollah: The Story from Within,’ which highlights the history of the resistance movement, which was labeled as “a rare (insider) look,” according to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
He is married and has six children.
(Al-Mayadeen, PC)
