Hezbollah’s aggression in the eyes of the growing Lebanese opposition
Ever since the start of the escalation in South Lebanon last October, with the harsh destruction and the dire economic situation of the residents of South and Central Lebanon, we have witnessed a significant rise of voices criticizing Hezbollah’s conduct.
It appears that Lebanon is being hijacked by foreign interests, utilizing Hezbollah, leading the beautiful and multicultural country into disaster.
We will add these opinions as they appear in the future.
| Party | Person | Saying |
|---|---|---|
| Lebanese Forces Party | Samir Geagea (the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party) | Lebanese Forces Party Chairman, Samir Geagea, stated that following the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah’s weapons have become illegal by government consent and decision, which Hezbollah itself agreed to and must now honor. He added that Hezbollah had no right to start the war on October 8, 2023, and that the war did not benefit Gaza at all but only caused massive destruction in Lebanon. Geagea also criticized the “Axis of Resistance” which claimed to be united, yet in practice, no party suffered as many casualties as Lebanon (Lebanese Forces website, November 29, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Ghayath Yazbek (a member of the Lebanese Forces Party) | Ghayath Yazbeck, called on Hezbollah not to violate Resolution 1701 again, as it did after the 2006 war. He expressed satisfaction with the cessation of fighting and “systematic killing” and destruction of the country “for reasons entirely unrelated to Lebanon” (Al Arabiya, November 29, 2024). Yazbeck was even recorded striking himself in disbelief upon hearing Hezbollah faction member Hassan Fadlallah declare that the fighting ended in “victory” (Youtube, November 29, 2024 |
| Free Patriotic Movement | Gebran Basil (Free Patriotic Movement Chairman) | Free Patriotic Movement Chairman Gebran Bassil, until recently considered a political ally of Hezbollah, congratulated the Lebanese people on the cessation of hostilities and expressed hope that it would serve as “preparation for an absolute ceasefire under state sovereignty.” He also emphasized the need for displaced persons to return to their homes (Gebran Bassil’s X account, November 27, 2024). |
| Free Patriotic Movement | Neamat Efram | Neamat Efram noted that “legitimate Lebanon” was not part of the war. He warned that the ceasefire is fragile and there remains genuine concern about a return to fighting. Efram expressed hope that the Lebanese Army would not get caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah, emphasizing that what matters in the ceasefire agreement is its implementation (MTV, November 28, 2024 |
| Shi’ite anti-Hezbollah journalist | Dima Sadeq | Dima Sadeq criticized the group’s claims of “victory” over Israel on her X account (848.7K followers). She questioned how they could claim victory while Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon and residents are prevented from returning to certain villages. She referred to IDF Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee as the “governor of border villages.” ( Dima Sadeq X account, November 27, 2024) |
| Journalist ( Christian) | Tony Boulos | Tony Boulos wrote on X (81.3K followers) that Hezbollah “surrendered after destroying Lebanon, its society and environment, fighting over dismembered bodies of Lebanese so Khamenei could negotiate over the ruins of our cities and villages.” ( Tony Boulous’ X account, November 27, 2024 |
| Muslim opponent of Hezbollah living in France | Ahmad Yassin | Dr. Ahmad Yassin posted on X (31.3K followers) mocking Hezbollah’s victory claims, noting the organization lost senior leadership and thousands of operatives suffered injuries like lost eyes and fingers from explosive devices. He calls Hezbollah “Iranian party” ( Ahmad Yassin X account, November 28, 2024) |
| Christian anti-Hezbollah activist | Bacho Haddad | Bacho Haddad, a Lebanese Christian activist, posted TikTok videos (19.6K followers) ridiculing Hezbollah over the ceasefire, laughing that they rushed to agree without including provisions for releasing their “prisoners.” ( Haddad’s Tik Tok account, November 27, 2024) |
| Anonymous activists spread pictures and cartoons mocking Hezbollah | A modified Hezbollah logo showing a white flag instead of a rifle | |
| A person with two missing fingers making a victory sign. In the top right corner, there’s a distorted Hezbollah flag where the text “we ate shit” is holding a spoon. (haif alsafi X account, November 27 , 2024) | ||
| Kurdish Cartoonist | Dijwar Ibrahim | An arm wrestling competition between Israel and Hezbollah. The Hezbollah operative loses while saying “we won” ( Dijwar Ibrahim X Account, November 27, 2024) |
| Canada-based activist | Mike Harb | A donkey stooping in the destroyed and bombed areas of Beirut with “victors” written above it (Mike Harb’s X account, November 26, 2024) |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Samir Geagea (the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party) | Samir Geagea, stated that since opening the front in support of Gaza, Hezbollah’s calculations had been “entirely erroneous,” and that what was happening now was “exactly what the Israelis planned; otherwise, how would they have known the locations of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safi al-Din?” He condemned those who “slandered” the Lebanese army and accused Hezbollah of sidelining the army and starting a war. Geagea stressed that all parties had to immediately implement Resolution 1701, with a focus on the rapid deployment of the Lebanese army in south Lebanon to monitor arms smuggling and ensure border security. Regarding the possibility of Hezbollah participating in Lebanon’s next government, Geagea stated that it could happen “only if it becomes solely a political party” (LBCI Lebanon, November 7, 2024). |
| Kataeb Party | Nadim Gemayel ( member of the Katayeb party) | Nadim Gemayel stated that Lebanese Shi’ites needed to realize that weapons endangered them and were exploited by Iran to meet its own needs. He added that only the Lebanese army and the country’s legitimate institutions could protect the Lebanese people. Gemayel accused Iran of having robbed Lebanon of its sovereignty through Hezbollah for nearly 30 years and called for the situation to end as soon as possible (Annadeem, November 8, 2024). |
| Anti-Hezbollah Christian leader. | Bachara al-Ra’i (The Christian Maronite Patriarch) | Bechara al-Ra’I said “ Hezbollah had to learn from the “destructive” war, which displaced 1.5 million Lebanese and killed thousands of innocents. He stated that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu did not want to end the war before he could ensure that residents could return to their homes in northern Israel. Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued to engage in a “destructive battle,” with Lebanon and the Lebanese being the biggest losers so far. Al-Ra’i also called for strengthening the Lebanese army, as it was the only entity responsible for defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity (Nida al-Watan, November 11, 2024). He declared that schools in Lebanon should be “liberated” from the displaced persons to allow the academic year to begin, adding that the Lebanese people were strongly opposed to the war between Hezbollah and Israel (LBC, November 10, 2024) |
| Anti-Hezbollah Journalist | Karen Boustany | Karen Boustani shared a post on X: Enough arrogance! Agree to a ceasefire! Protect the people of #Lebanon #Lebanon_does_not_want_war #Southern_Suburb #Haret_Hreik” ( Karen Boustani X account, 11 November 2024) On 12 November, she wrote on X “What is the fault of childhood?! Hey Hezbollah, you will be forced to agree to a ceasefire because you show no mercy to either adults or children in #Lebanon! The blame is on you and only you, not on the #Minister_of_Education who is trying to secure the academic year for students and keep them away from your absurd destructive war! #Lebanon_does_not_want_war #Southern_Suburb””( Karen Boustani, X account, 12 November) |
| Activist | Soheila al-Itani | Soheila al-Itani posted on 12 November on X “”#Hezbollah #Iran #Lebanon_does_not_want_war #Lebanon #Beirut #Nasrallah #Dahieh #This_is_victory May I be buried if you’re not all on #Captagon and brainwashed!! This is victory??? No, we say no, this is defeat – we’re being stepped on with shoes and you’ve destroyed our country because of your actions!” ( Soheila al-Itani X account,12 November) |
| Anti-Hezbollah activist and journalist | Raymond al-Hakim | On 12 November Raymond al-Hakim and many other anti-Hezbollah activists retweeted a post by a Shi’I anti-Irani journalist Ali Al-Qaisi. Al-Qaisi wrote: “”#Urgent_Warning_Lebanon #Mikati in danger #the_terrorist Hezbollah is launching a threatening campaign against #Mikati after his brave speech at the #Arab_Islamic_Riyadh_Summit similar to the threats that preceded #Hariri_assassination. #Mikati’s speech represents a cry from the throats of all Lebanese people against others’ wars on Lebanese soil. #Lebanon_does_not_want_war. #No_weapons_except_state_weapons it is #Israel_and_Iran’s_party_war and not Lebanon’s war.” ( the post tags among the others France’s president Macron and the secretary of state Blinken) . ( Ali Al-Qaisi X account, 12 November) |
| Lawyer and member of the political bureau of the Kataeb Party. (Christian Maronite Party) | Joêlle Bou Abboud Rouillard | The X account of the Kataeb party reposted a report by Joêlle Bou Abboud Rouillard about the meetings of Kataeb party members with Trump’s in-law Massad Bulos: “ “The meetings of the Kataeb Party President aim to convey the voice of the opposition to Hezbollah, because we are concerned about an agreement or settlement at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty.” ( Kataeb Party X account, 14 November , 2024) |
| Anti-Hezbollah social and political activist | FMP Breath Lebanon | FMP Breath Lebanon posted on X regarding Bolus’ activities: “Massad Boulos, Trump’s campaign director, to Al Jadeed TV: Trump will seek an agreement that satisfies both parties to end the war, and I appreciate the positions of Berri and Mikati” . In the meantime, Tom Harb told OTV: “Trump will seek to disarm Hezbollah by force.” (FMP Breath Lebanon X account14 November, 2024) |
| Anonymous account pretending to be a female Iranian expert of the Middle East, clearly pro-Iranian. | Media Doctor, D.Sh. the Iranian | This user posted on X wording with the Picture of Khamenei, arguing that “ Hezbollah rejects any ceasefire proposal that does not include a ceasefire in Gaza” ( Media Doctor, D.Sh. the Iranian , 14 November , 2024) |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Samir Geagea (the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party) | Samir Geagea, leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces Party, called for Hezbollah’s disarmament (al-Jazeera, October 23, 2024). “if the army was present on the border, Israel would not have attacked Lebanon” and Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati do not “want to ask Hezbollah to disarm.” ( Al-Arabiya, 23 October, 2024) “They do not want to implement resolutions 1559 and 1680 … are playing smart in their management of resolution 1701, and do not want to demand that Hezbollah disarm,” said Geagea. According to him, “the understanding of Messrs. Berri and Mikati of U.N. Resolution 1701 is partial” and there is neither room nor time to “play smart and maneuver” in the implementation of international resolutions. “The Lebanese government must declare its commitment to international resolutions to avoid the worst, and must also respect resolution 1559 which concerns the disarmament of armed groups,” he stressed. )L’orient le jour October 23, 2024) |
| Lebanese forces | Razi al-Hajj | Razi al-Hajj, urged the Lebanese government to engage in a dialogue with Hezbollah for it to move its military commanders and weapons caches away from civilian areas. He noted that the tragedies suffered by Lebanese society resulted from Hezbollah’s use of civilians as human shields (al-Hadath, October 15, 2024). On another occasion, he said Hezbollah had not brought its missiles “from the moon” but through border crossings that Lebanon should have closed. He accused Hezbollah of building tunnels, erecting roadblocks, and infiltrating public services under the watchful eyes of Lebanon’s elected authorities. Therefore, he argued, it was Lebanon’s responsibility to tell Hezbollah, “Enough! Your policies, your strategies, and the unity of the fronts you keep talking about and choosing Iran are visiting disasters upon Lebanon” (MTV Channel, October 28, 2024). |
| Kataeb Party | Nadim Gemayel ( member of the Katayeb party) | Nadim Gemayel called for Hezbollah to be disarmed, urging the Shi’ite community to seize the opportunity to free itself from Hezbollah and its allegiance to Iran. He said Lebanon was at a crossroads, as Hezbollah’s weapons and the “axis of resistance” had failed to protect Lebanon, its people, or the Shi’ite community. He said that “only the Lebanese state can protect Lebanon,” and called for a genuine choice: a free Lebanon within its Arab regional environment, with a prosperous economy attractive to foreign investments. That, he argued, necessitated determination, courage, faith, and support (MTV Lebanon, October 23, 2024). |
| Anti-Hezbollah journalist | Sabine Jean Yousef | Following the IDF’s statement regarding Hezbollah’s activities in the basement of al-Sahel Hospital in the Dahiyeh al-Janoubia in Beirut, Christian journalist Sabine Youseff wondered why the Lebanese government had not sent the army and security forces to the hospital to locate the alleged half-billion dollars and use it to aid displaced persons or rebuild destroyed villages. She asked, “What frightens the state when Hezbollah is on the brink of collapse?” (Sabine Youseff’s X account , October 27, 2024) On 27 October Sabine Jean Youssef posted a message on her X account, highly critical of the French efforts in Lebanon. She argued that in fact French efforts help Hezbollah and not Lebanon ( Sabine Jean Youssef’ X account 27 October, 2024) |
| Lebanese Forces | Charles Jabbour ( Head of the Lebanese Forces Media & Communications Authority) | Charles Jabbour criticized Hezbollah Saying that the presence of an armed group has entangled Lebanon in conflict, resulting in thousands of casualties and displaced individuals. Jabbour urged the Lebanese state and military to take responsibility and called on Hezbollah to surrender its weapons. ( LBC october 12, 2024) |
| Former Lebanese prime minister, whose father Rafik al-Hariri was murdered by Hezbollah in 2005 | Saad al-Hariri | “The killing of Nasrallah was a completely cowardly act that ushered Lebanon and the region into a new phase of violence.” He admitted that he and Nasrallah had disagreed many times, but said that “Lebanon has always been a home for everyone.” He added that only through unity would it be possible to preserve Lebanon as a homeland for all its inhabitants, and therefore everyone had to rise above their differences of opinion and sectarian interests (Extra news, September 28, 2024). |
| Kataeb Party | Samy Gemayel, the leader of the Kataeb party | Samy Gemayel expressed hope the “absurd” war imposed on Lebanon would lead to laying the foundations for a modern state. He said that “the era of betrayal and bullying is over” and that they would not allow it to happen again. He said that starting today, they would not agree to have any political party possess weapons, only the Lebanese army and the “legitimate forces.” He said that the illegitimate weapons circulating without supervision contributed nothing to Lebanon and only brought “internal hostility and the incitement [sic] of internal fires and crises” (al-Nashra, October 6, 2024). |
| Kataeb Party | Nadim Gemayel | Nadim al-Gemayel, a member of the Kataeb Party in the Lebanese Parliament, called on Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state. He said that it was no longer possible to accept Hezbollah’s narrative of being Lebanon’s only defender. He said everything had collapsed and therefore Hezbollah had to return the weapons to the Lebanese state just as all the Lebanese handed over their weapons to the Lebanese army and the state after the Taif agreement, which ended the Lebanese Civil War in 1990 (Sky News in Arabic, October 6, 2024). |
| Anti-Hezbollah and anti-Iranian activist | No to Iranian occupation X account | An account called “No to the Iranian Occupation” posted a picture of Nasrallah with the caption, “The day of your assassination was a holiday.” The post read, “Nasrallah, the day of your assassination was a holiday and joy filled our hearts” (X account of “No to the Iranian Occupation,” September 28, 2024). |
| Anti-Hezbollah Journalist (International Arab Media) | Nadim Koteish | Nadim Koteich, an anti-Hezbollah Lebanese political commentator, claimed that the elimination of Nasrallah and the almost complete dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure constituted a “complete loss” for Iran. He said that just as the fall of Saddam Hussein opened the door to Iran’s entrance into the region, the fall of Nasrallah could open the door to its exit. He said restoring Hezbollah and ensuring its continuity would be Iran’s top priority and that Iran believed that eliminating Nasrallah directly challenged its regional position. It was still considering how to respond (al-Sharq al-Awsat, October 3, 2024). |
| Hezbollah no longer publishes the number of its casualties. The Facebook page “ Akhbar al-Janub” ( The South Lebanon news) frequently publishes pictures of young men. It is never said how they died, yet the comments bless the victim’s martyrdom ( Shahada). There is no doubt they are Hezbollah fighters. 1 Likewise, Hezbollah Telegram channels stopped publishing mourning announcements over the death of its fighters. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=848859150688785&set=a.407158928192145 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=848856700689030&set=a.407158928192145 | ||
| Kataeb Party | Samy Gemayel | Samy al-Gemayel, chairman of the Kataeb Party, addressed Hassan Nasrallah directly and said he had no right to make decisions regarding the lives of the Lebanese or have a double standard for the residents of south Lebanon and those of Beirut. He wondered how Nasrallah traded in the blood of the south Lebanese and ensured immunity for the residents of Beirut. According to al-Gemayel, the strategy of attacking Israel in an attempt to lower Israeli “aggression” in the Gaza Strip had not only failed, it led to the destruction of south Lebanon. He also said that if Nasrallah thought he was allowed to trade in Lebanese lives for the sake of an Iranian agenda, he was wrong and the Lebanese would not allow him to do so without protest. He noted that so far more than 500 Lebanese had been killed in the fighting and wondered if for Nasrallah their lives had no value. He also criticized Nasrallah for thinking Israel would not cross red lines or violate the rules of engagement which had existed so far, and for still calling Prime Minister Netanyahu “an idiot and a madman.” According to al-Gemayel, it increased the risk of misjudging the situation and making mistakes for which Lebanon would pay a high price (Al-mostaqbal , August 7, 2024). |
| The Renewal Faction in the Lebanese Parliament | The Renewal Faction in the Lebanese Parliament said Lebanon was exposed to the danger that the war would escalate, bringing more killing and destruction. The faction expressed opposition to Lebanon’s involvement in a war others were waging on its soil. It added that Hassan Nasrallah’s position that Iran and Syria were not obligated to participate in the war revealed that only the blood and lives of Lebanese citizens were being used as bargaining chips and that only Lebanon bore the burden of paying the highest price. The faction asked how the supporters of the “unity of the arenas” allowed Lebanon to be the only country where the war was being waged, while all they did was take advantage of the situation to strengthen their regional position. The faction also criticized Najib Mikati, prime minister of the Lebanese interim government, and other ministers, and accused them of becoming “Hezbollah’s official spokesmen,” instead of representing the interests of Lebanon and its people (MTV Lebanon, Aug. 8, 2024). | |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Charles Jabbour ( head of media and communications for the Lebanese Forces party) | Charles Jabbour said the Lebanese felt powerless because “Hezbollah hijacked the country.” He said the war was between Iran and Israel and Lebanese had was nothing to do with it. He added that the decision to escalate the war rested with Israel, which had a technological advantage (al-Hurra, Aug.5, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Samir Geagea ( the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party). | Samir Geagea accused Hezbollah of “confiscating the Lebanese people’s decision” against the backdrop of the shelling exchanged with Israel for about 11 months in support of its ally, Hamas. “Who authorized Hezbollah and gave it the mandate to confiscate the Lebanese people’s decision and freedom, and monopolize the decision of war and peace? This war is not wanted by the Lebanese, and the government had no say or word in it. This war does not serve Lebanon and has not benefited Gaza or alleviated its suffering and pain one bit.” He continued, “We ask the Lebanese government, which is the owner of the house and the decision, to call on Hezbollah to stop this absurd war that has no justification or horizon,” considering that “what we have lost so far, despite its gravity, is little compared to what we might lose later.” Geagea emphasized that “if (Hezbollah) insists on continuing the war and fleeing forward, then it must bear alone the consequences and responsibility.” (Al-Hadath TV, Sep. 02, 2024) |
| Free Patriotic Movement | Gebran Bassil (the leader of Free Patriotic Movement) | The chairman of the Free Patriotic Movement in Lebanon, Gebran Bassil, who is considered an ally of Hezbollah, spoke out against the organization’s continued fighting against Israel in the name of supporting the Gaza Strip. Bassil noted that he was asked by Hezbollah members: “What is your position regarding Hezbollah? One day you say you are with us in the war, and another day you say you are against us in the war.” To this, he replied: “We are with you when you defend Lebanon, we are with you when Israel attacks us, but we are not with you for you to start a war against Israel.” Bassil stated that they are in favor of a defense strategy, but not an offensive strategy. Additionally, he wondered, “What is the purpose of the war in which we are participating?” and dismissed the justification of assisting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. According to him, Lebanon is not helping the Gaza Strip by having part of Lebanon destroyed and its young men killed. )X account) |
| Anti-Hezbollah Journalist | Nancy Lakiss | who opposes Hezbollah (with an X account of 26.5 thousand followers), posted that according to a survey carried out by the American magazine Foreign Affairs, 70% of Lebanese do not trust Hezbollah. She added the hashtag “#Lebanon_doesn’t_want_war” (Nancy Nessrine Lakiss’ X account, August 4, 2024). Announcement with the survey results on the lack of trust in Hezbollah |
| Anti-Hezbollah Journalist | Karen Boustany | Karen Boustany (with an X account of 10.4 thousand followers), posted a notice reading “You have destroyed our economy” with the hashtag “#Lebanon_doesn’t_want_war.” She wrote that the tourism sector had immense losses, as stated by the chairman of the Federation of Tourist Associations and the head of the hotel owners, adding, “Thank you, Hassan Nasrallah, for destroying everything that could have stabilized Lebanon’s economy, even for a short period of time. You have destroyed our economy and our homeland” (Karen Boustany’s X account, August 9, 2024). “You have destroyed our economy” (Karen Boustany’s X account, August 9, 2024) |
| Anti-Hezbollah/Iran cartoonist | Saeer Sabil | The cartoonist Saeer Sabil, who opposes the Iranian regime and its proxies in the region, published a cartoon by the Saudi cartoonist Talal al-Sha’sha, in which the letter A appears in the word “Hezbollah” on the organization’s flag, gripping the leg of a man representing Lebanon. He wrote that “the terrorist Satan’s party [Hezbollah] is working completely against Lebanon’s interests ” (Saeer Sabil’s X account, August 11, 2024). Talal al-Shasha’s anti-Hezbollah cartoon (Saeer Sabil’s X account, August 11, 2024) |
| An activist for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 | Raymond Hakim | Raymond Hakim, an activist for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (with an X account of 99 thousand followers), wrote that Hezbollah’s weapons posed a danger to Lebanon before they posed a danger to any other country (Raymond Hakim’s X account, August 8, 2024). He also posted a picture of a building which had been destroyed with the caption, “The war is destroying what remains of Lebanon,” with the hashtag “Lebanon_does_not_want_war.” He also wrote, “The party [Hezbollah] is committed to the destruction of Lebanon. The funds he [Hassan Nasrallah] receives from Iran command him to do so” (Raymond Hakim’s X account, August 11, 2024). “The war is destroying what remains of Lebanon” (Raymond Hakim’s X account, August 11, 2024) |
| Popular singer | Elissa | Following Israeli Air Force attacks against Hezbollah weapons depots in the Beqaa Valley, international Lebanese singer Elissa posted on her X account (15.6 million followers) that “The Beqaa is part of Lebanon and it also doesn’t want war.” She attached a picture of the Beqaa Valley and the hashtag “Lebanon doesn’t want war.” Hezbollah supporters reacted angrily and called on her not to interfere, but many of the responses expressed support for the singer’s position and joined the call against the war (elissakh’s X account, August 20, 2024). |
| Kataeb Party | Samy Gemayel | Samy Gemayel, chairman of the Phalange Party, said he wanted the residents of South Lebanon to live in peace and quiet for at least 50 years and that the way to accomplish that was for the Lebanese state to enforce its sovereignty over South Lebanon. He wondered “if the only accepted opinion in the country is Hezbollah’s, according to which the residents of South Lebanon will be forced to live in a state of war for another thousand years?” That was happening because they did not recognize the State of Israel and considered their weapons sacred. He said they were turning South Lebanon into a battleground for a combat that would never end (OTV TV, July 24, 2024). |
| Religious thinker | Muhammad Ali al-Husseini | Muhammad Ali Al-Husseini, a Saudi-based Islamic researcher and lecturer of Lebanese origin, who lives outside Lebanon and is the secretary general of the Arab Islamic Council, criticized Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary general. In an article he published in a Saudi newspaper, he called on Nasrallah to immediately and publicly announce the cessation of military operations and let the Lebanese army take full responsibility for the border area. He stated that if Nasrallah did not, he would bear full responsibility for everything the IDF did in Lebanon, for the destruction of Lebanon, and for all the blood that would be spilled. He added Nasrallah had the immense religious responsibility not to destroy himself but an entire population and country (Okaz, July 23, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Charles Jabbour, head of media and communications in the Lebanese Forces party led by Samir Geagea | “It is not Israel which is delaying the election of the president in Lebanon, it is not Israel which eliminated Lebanese leaders before and after Rafiq Al-Hariri, it is not Israel which preventing the existence of Lebanon as a de facto state, it is not Israel which is responsible for corruption in Lebanon, and it is not Israel that leaves Lebanon’s borders open to the Iranian militias.” He noted that Israel “was an enemy,” but added that “the bigger enemy was the one that prevents the Lebanese from living in peace, stability and prosperity. The Iranian project is the major enemy ” (Elahaweya, July 26, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party | Ghayath Yazbek | Ghayath Yazbek, Lebanese Forces Party member of the Lebanese Parliament, called on Hezbollah to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and give control of south Lebanon to the Lebanese army. He said Israel would not dare to violate the decision, because the whole world would be opposing it (LBCI, July 22, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party (LF) | Samir Geagea | Samir Geagea, chairman of the Lebanese Forces Party, said Hezbollah had taken over all the decisions in Lebanon, making the country the only one of the 22 member states of the Arab League and the only one of the 57 countries in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation paying the price for regional events, except for Palestine. He said that if an all-out war broke out, he and his people would stand by the country, but wondered why Lebanon should bear the cost of the losses, which he estimated at between 400 and 500 dead and enormous material damage when all the solutions to the problems already existed, starting with the deployment of military forces in south Lebanon (MTV Lebanon, July 4, 2024). Samir Geagea stated that the statements [by implication, made by Hezbollah] that the Church and its believers “work in the service of Zionist terrorism” were completely invalid. He said that “the one who serves Zionist terrorism is the one who by his actions caused Zionist terrorism to operate in south Lebanon [i.e., Hezbollah]” (Lebanese Forces Party X account, June 26, 2024). Samir Geagea, the chairman of the Lebanese Forces Party, accused Hezbollah of dragging all of Lebanon into alignment with Iranian interests and criticized the “official surrender” of the state institutions to Hezbollah. According to Geagea, many current government members belong to or support the “resistance axis,” and therefore are happy about the situation. He added that the government was also responsible for the destruction taking place in Lebanon and that if Prime Minister Mikati saw himself as having no power, he should resign. Geagea warned that the situation in south Lebanon could further deteriorate towards a major escalation, and because the legitimate government was “absent,” Lebanon was marching towards the “unknown” (al-Sharq al-Awsat, June 23, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party (LF) | Ghayat Yazbek | Ghayath Yazbak accused Nasrallah of “humiliating the Lebanese foreign ministry, government, and state, Cyprus and the European Union, of which it is a member” (Ghayath Yazbek’s X account, June 19, 2024) Ghayat Yazbek, a member of the Lebanese Parliament representing the Lebanese Forces Party, criticized Hezbollah’s threats against Israel. He said that Hezbollah had admitted to itself that its capabilities were limited and that although the organization was capable of causing heavy damage to Israel, it could not change the fact that Israel was a strong country that was also supported by the United States, and was capable of returning Lebanon to the Stone Age (al-Arabiya, June 20, 2024). |
| Lebanese Forces Party (LF) | Ghada Ayoub | Ghada Ayoub, a member of the Lebanese parliament from Samir Geagea’s Lebanese Forces Party, said for 30 years Hezbollah had been occupying 20 million square meters of land in south Lebanon and preventing the owners from entering or approaching their property. She expressed her displeasure at the proposal to exempt the residents of south Lebanon from paying taxes and electricity and telephone bills. She stated that the choice was between one country or a “state” [i.e., south Lebanon, controlled by Hezbollah] which would rule Lebanon. She also said that her party had sent a letter to the Lebanese government questioning its decision to compensate each family of a Hezbollah casualty with $20,000, warning that it was contrary to the constitution, which states that compensation will only be awarded to innocent citizens (MesbarChannel YouTube channel, June 9, 2024). It was reported that of the first 52 names of people eligible for compensation, only three were civilians and the other 49 were “martyrs of the resistance,” i.e. Hezbollah operatives (MTV Lebanon News, June 10, 2024). |
| Kataeb Party | Samy Gemayel | Samy Gemayel, chairman of the Phalanges Party, said international effort had to be invested to extricate Lebanon from its current situation. He said the problem in Lebanon was not local and therefore international solutions were necessary. He said the international community had to exert pressure for international decisions to be implemented, starting with Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559,[3]according to which “armed militias” [Hezbollah] had to be disarmed (Kon Mowaten, April 3, 2024). 2024). He added that the Lebanese army should be deployed and allowed to ensure security along the border (Phalanges website, April 5, 2024). |
| Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) | Gebran Basil | Gebran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic Movement Party in Lebanon, called for separating events on the Lebanese front from events in the Gaza Strip since Lebanon could not depend on Yahya Sinwar’s decision regarding the future of the war. He added that the decision to enter the war should remain in Lebanon’s hands, but he was not prepared for his country to enter a war it had not decided to start and for which it was paying the price with its economy, property, and the lives of Lebanese victims who should not have to die because of an ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians (Sky News in Arabic, July 4, 2024). Gebran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic Movement in the Lebanese parliament, gave a speech in Jbeil in which he said he did not know how Israel could be defeated when Lebanon was collapsing, its economic situation was terrible, government institutions were crumbling and national unity was threatened. He stated that the Lebanese did not want a war, and neither did the United States or Iran [sic], the only party that did want war was the Israeli government, and there was no reason to allow it to kill and destroy. He could not understand, he said, a situation in which Lebanon conducted a war that was not in its own interest (Gebran Bassil’s X account, April 6, 2024; Lebanese News Agency, April 6, 2024). |
| Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) | Wadih Akl | The fear is not about failing to defeat Israel in war, but about failing to defeat it in the economy and Lebanese culture… This is where our real problem with Hezbollah lies, in that we are unable to build a state, nor is building one a priority… Our problem is not about Israel, as it unites us, even against our will, when it attacks… But what about the day after? ( June 30, 2024, quoted Jebran Basil) “ Resistance against oppression is a right for Lebanon and Palestine, each from its own land. However, the use of southern Lebanon’s land by foreign fighters is unacceptable”. ( October 10, 2024, Wadih Akl X account) |
| Free Patriotic Movement | Ghassan Atallah ( Parliament member) | Ghassan Atallah, a Free Patriotic Movement Party member of the Lebanese Parliament said his party opposed any attack on Lebanon and did not want Hezbollah to continue supporting the Gaza Strip through in Lebanon. He added that Hezbollah had imposed excellent equations on the front, but the price was very high and the damage was great. He said the dispute between the Free National Movement and Hezbollah began after the re-appointment of Najib Mikati as prime minister of the transitional government, however, after October 7, 2023, the movement tried to rebuild bridges with all parties (Voice of Lebanon Radio, July 6, 2024) |
| Maronite Church | Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi | Patriarch Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi condemned Hezbollah’s operations against Israel while pleading for Lebanon’s neutrality. He spoke on behalf of the residents of Lebanon’s south and “conveyed their rejection of being used as “hostages, human shields, and scapegoats for failed Lebanese policies and the culture of death that has brought nothing to our country except imaginary victories and shameful defeats.” ( Arab News, January 29, 2024) |
| Future Movement | Fuad Siniora | Seniora referred to the Arab League’s refraining from designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization: “In response to the Arab League’s decision to refrain from designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora: The decision is like a free gift.” (June 30, 2024, Al-Hadath Channel ) |
| Independence Movement | Michel Moawad | We continue our struggle to liberate Lebanon from the axis’s hegemony [i.e. from the hegemony of the Iranian axis of resistance], and in rejection of the approach of killing, elimination, and any weapons outside legitimacy. We persist, today and every day, in our struggle to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty and build a state of institutions that protects everyone. ( June 13, 2024, Michel Moawad’s Twitter account) |
| Ronnie Chatah ( journalist, son of the Minister of Finance Mohammad Chatah, who was assassinated by Hezbollah in 2013) | On 4 July Ronnie Chatah tweeted “With their intelligentsia in mind: When it comes to sonic booms & psychological warfare, rightly point the finger at Israel. But when it comes to assassinations that target HA’s political opponents, blame the US & Israel. And when sovereignty is discussed, blame everyone but Iran. ( Ronnie Chatah X account, July 4, originally in English) “41 months later & the obvious remains clear… There is no independent judiciary, no state agency & no respite for the friends, allies & loved ones who suffer in silence. Watching this country fracture further while Lokman Slim’s killers fight for Iran on Lebanon’s battlefield”.( Ronnie Chattah X account, July 4) | |
| Jean Ferghali (Journalist) | On July, 9, Jean Ferghali share an X post: “Nasrallah, the Iranian agent in# Lebanon, poses a danger to #Lebanon and all Lebanese! Unfortunately, #Hezbollah occupies #Lebanon and drags it into a destructive war for the benefit of #Iran in the region. If Nasrallah is not a terrorist, then who is the terrorist in Lebanon? This danger shows no mercy to anyone!” ( Jean Ferghali X account, July 9. One can see a mocking footage of Nasrallah). | |
| Bahaa Hariri (son of Rafiq Hariri) | “We must remember that Hezbollah has been responsible for many crises in Lebanon which have led to a major economic meltdown. With the help of international cooperation we can see an end to this regime”.) Bahaa Hariri’s Instagram account, September 2020) | |
| Paula Yacoubian (independent MP and journalist) | On June 27, 2024, Yacoubian wrote some words of warmhearted support for the journalist Dima Sadeq who has been harassed by Hezbollah supporters for several months “ Your patriotism and honorable stance are unmatched, especially compared to worthless scum like this one. All respect to you” ( Paula Yacoubian Twitter account) | |
| On July 1, 2023, representatives of the opposition parties in Lebanon held a press conference where they warned of the danger of the situation in Lebanon deteriorating into a comprehensive war that is none of Lebanon; and made it clear that Lebanon should not pay the price for any new equations. They presented a road map that called to disengage Lebanon from the Palestinian issue and opposed support for armed groups, local or foreign, that operate in Lebanese territory and impose the logic of the unity of the arenas in the service of the regional resistance. They also called on the Lebanese government to stop all military operations that were not within the framework of the official Lebanese security forces, to declare a state of emergency in south Lebanon, transfer security control of the area to the Lebanese army, and implement Resolution 1701 (al-Nashra, July 1, 2024). | ||
| Lebanon Uprising Movement | Ashraf Rifi( former Justice minister) | “ We say directly to Hezbollah: Enough with besieging our areas, and enough with disregarding our rights. There’s no president for Christians except by your choice, no formation of governments for Sunnis in their natural time, and no dialogue or consultation with other Lebanese in decisions of war and peace. What kind of national partnership is this?” ( June 30, 2024, Ashraf Rifi X account) |
| Free Nationalist Party | Kamil Shamoun | The Maronite Christian politician, Kamil Chamoun, who heads the Free Nationalist Party, warned that if Hezbollah tried to attack the Christian areas, there were “twenty thousand armed and trained fighters ready for zero hour,” and the Druze and Sunnis would stand by the Christians. He accused Hezbollah of trying to divide Lebanon and demanded that the organization compensate the residents of south Lebanon for its decision to start a war against Israel (al-Mashhad, June 12, 2024). |
| Taqaddom Party | Mark Daou | Mark Daou, a member of the Lebanese Parliament from the Taqaddom Party, accused Hezbollah of harming the entire Lebanese people and destroying the south of the country. He stated that if Hezbollah had money, it should donate it to the state (MTV Lebanon News, June 9, 2024). |
| Independent journalist | Ghassan Hasbani | “ Nasrallah’s threatening Cyprus is very dangerous” ( June 20, 2024, Ghassan Hasbani X account) |
| Former politician, 14 March movement | Fares Souaid | “The Arab league stays as it used to be after Iran’s entry to control four Arab capitals is unacceptable: 1. It has lost its Arab identity in the face of fear from Iran 2. It has allowed Iran to outbid Arabs on the Palestinian issue 3. It has abandoned its role in preserving the independence of each member 4. It does not define Arab identity in a way that suits the current era” ( June 30, Fares Souaid’s X account) Dissolving it and reforming it is a necessity. |
| Journalist (Al-Arabiya) | Layal Alekhtiyar | Layal Alekhtiyar is wanted by the military for interviewing an Israeli army spokesperson. This action comes in response to her interview with Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-speaking spokesman for the Israeli army on October 07 ( L’orient le Jour, November 17, 2024) |
| Journalist (MTV) | Dima Sadeq (MTV) | Dima Sadeq has always criticized Hezbollah. “ we became hostages not only of the [ hezbollah] weapons but also of the insanity” ( June 26, 2024, Dima Sadeq, X account & Elhawiya TV channel) |
| Journalist (Sky News) | Nadim Koteiche | “The Israelis know that Lebanon is the most fragile of their neighboring territories, and it won’t be difficult for them to destroy it, nor will it be easy for its people to rebuild it. Returning it to the Stone Age, meaning destroying power stations, water facilities, roads, communications, and the airport, only harms countries with centralized systems. Lebanon, however, has been a divided country since the 1970s, with external forces like the Palestinians, then the Syrians, and now Hezbollah and the Iranians. The destruction of Lebanon will not significantly harm Hezbollah; on the contrary, it will help them tighten their control over it. The party is only responsible for its areas in terms of living conditions and services. They will easily obtain multiple payments from Iran and Iraq to finance their damaged areas The rest of the Lebanese, like the rest of the Yemenis, Iraqis, and Syrians, have no power or authority in the face of a heavily armed force that has killed their presidents, ministers, parliamentarians, intellectuals, and passersby. The destruction of Lebanon would be a service to Iran.” ( June 27, Kuteich shared a tweet by the Saudi journalist Abdurrahman Al-Rashid) |
| Journalist (Jooussour newspaper) | Tony Boulos | “The dialogue of Western envoys and diplomats with Hezbollah as an alternative to the Lebanese state keeps matters on the southern front in the hands of Arab Iran”. ( 26 June, an interview to al-Arabiya) |
| Journalist (Elsiyasa newspaper) | Rami Naïm | The Journalist Rami Naim known for his criticism of Hezbollah was assaulted and beaten by 20 armed men in Beirut on June 18. ( l’Orient le jour. June 19, 2024) “A gang of thugs attacked the president of the association Journalists for Freedom,” Assaad Béchara, asking him to leave Beirut, considering that the city is an area reserved for people who are with Hezbollah It seems that the intimidation series began with me, then with Youssef Diab, to now target Assaad, and who else tomorrow? To the judges and security forces: what are you waiting for?” ( Rami Naim’s X account. June 27, 2024) |
| Academic scholar (History) ( American University of Beirut) | Makram Rabah | “If one rises up and fights against tyranny and occupation, seeking to liberate their land, they do so with the intention of living a better life, not dying for the sake of dying only, nor serving the goals of a similar hegemonic project led by “Hezbollah” and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Levant and beyond”.( June 30, Makram Rabah X account) |
| Journalist and historian | Iyad Abu Shaqra | Abu Shaqra shared an interview of the former Lebanon PM Fuad Seniora to the Al-Hadeth channel. Seniora referred to the Arab League’s refraining from designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization: “In response to the Arab League’s decision to refrain from designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora: The decision is like a free gift.” (June 30, 2024, Abu Shaqra Twitter account) |
| Journalist | Paola Istih | Paola Istih writes at al-Sharq al-Awsat and is critical of Hezbollah. ( al-Sharq al-Awsat) |
| Independent political activist and influential | Raymond Hakim | Raymond Hakim shared a pinned message on Twitter with a picture of Nasrallah. the wording reads his weapons are from Iran, his money is from Iran, and his loyalty is to Iran. Question: What is he still doing here in Lebanon?! (Raymond Hakim’s X account) |
