a day ago
MPs opposed to Hezbollah seek to file complaint against Naim Qassem
Several sovereignist MPs, including former Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi and other political figures, announced Tuesday their intention to take legal action against Hezbollah's secretary-general, Naim Qassem, for his recent statements, which "border on incitement to civil war in Lebanon and fuel sectarian tensions."
Last Friday, Qassem issued several warnings, stating that Hezbollah was ready for confrontation if disarmament were imposed on it. These statements drew considerable criticism from several political leaders. Moderating Qassem's words, Hezbollah's deputy political council chairman, Mahmoud Qomati, stated Saturday that his party was not "in internal Lebanese confrontation," but that "the weapons of the resistance cannot be surrendered during times of occupation."
Following a meeting chaired by Rifi, held at his home in Ashrafieh in the presence of MPs Georges Okais, Camille Shamoun and Elie Khoury, former MP Eddy Abillama, as well as Elie Mahfoud, a lawyer close to the Lebanese Forces and president of the Movement for Change, participants said in a statement that a complaint would be filed against Qassem with the Court of Cassation. This will target the party leader and 'any person the investigation may identify, so that the necessary judicial measures can be taken against them,' Mahfoud said in a statement cited by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
While the party emerged militarily weakened against Israel after the 2024 war, Nawaf Salam's government committed to disarming militias in Lebanon, including Hezbollah. The Lebanese Army was tasked at the beginning of August with developing a plan to disarm the party. Since taking office, President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have said they are determined to assert judicial independence and the state's monopoly on arms.
'Imminent danger'
"At this decisive moment in Lebanon's history, amid the largest rescue and liberation operation from decades-long Iranian domination that has weighed on the Lebanese Republic and subjected Lebanese to all manner of repression, assassinations, and invasions, and as a promising term begins with a staunchly sovereignist president, a courageous prime minister, and a government that has decided to end the abnormal situation of weapons proliferation through an armed organization sponsored and directed by Iran, Naim Kassem appears with a series of positions and statements in which he threatens the entire Lebanese people, exposing the country and its population to mortal danger," the statement said.
The participants said they want "to resort to justice so it acts immediately against the person concerned, before it's too late," arguing that "silence or complacency in the face of Naim Qassem's actions and those of his armed organization would expose the Lebanese to imminent danger."
This is not the first legal move of its kind against the head of the party. On July 9, activists and journalists opposed to Hezbollah called for a judicial inquiry against Qassem before the public prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Jamal Hajjar.
