Hezbollah's governing Shura Council confirmed Tuesday the appointment of Naim Qassem as the terror organization's new Secretary-General, elevating the group's longtime deputy to its top position following last month's killing of Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike. The 71-year-old Qassem takes control of the organization during a period of heightened conflict along the Israel-Lebanon frontier. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on social media: "Temporary appointment. Not for long."
Temporary appointment.
Not for long. pic.twitter.com/ONu0GveApi— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) October 29, 2024
In recent weeks, Qassem has emerged as the organization's public face, delivering several addresses to convey Hezbollah's positions, though appearing notably uncomfortable in his initial public appearances. His statements have hinted at a possible willingness to decouple the Lebanese front from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The appointment comes despite earlier speculation in Lebanese media that Qassem might decline the position, given his longtime role as deputy and apparent reluctance to assume leadership. His elevation follows the killing of Hashem Safieddine, Hezbollah's Executive Council chief, in an Israeli strike earlier this month. Safieddine had been widely viewed as the natural successor to Nasrallah. Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, who heads the group's Political Council, was also considered a potential candidate for the top position.
A founding member of Hezbollah, Qassem serves as one of the terror group's religious arbiters. The son of a Beirut taxi driver, he was born in the southern Lebanese village of Fila. Now a father of six sons, he has authored 26 books and, in recent years, represented the organization at official ceremonies in Iran, including the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The organization's official announcement stated: "In adherence to our principles and objectives, and in accordance with the mechanism for selecting the Secretary-General, the Shura Council has agreed to elect Sheikh Naim Qassem as Secretary-General, who carries the blessed banner on this path. We pledge before Allah and the spirit of the martyr Hassan Nasrallah to work together to achieve Hezbollah's principles and path objectives and to maintain the flame of resistance and its banner until victory is achieved."
Speaking three weeks ago, Qassem asserted that the organization's command and control capabilities remained intact, claiming they had "overcome the strikes against them." He noted that each eliminated senior official had been succeeded by their deputy.
Addressing international efforts to broker a joint ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, Qassem stated, "Hezbollah and the Amal movement are united in good times and bad. We support the diplomatic action led by Nabih Berri (Parliament Speaker and Amal movement leader), whose basic headline is a ceasefire. Before a ceasefire, there is no room for any other discussion."
