Naim Qassem

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Naim Qassem
نعيم قاسم
Naim Qassem Visits Tasnim Office (3x4 cropped).jpg
Qassem in 2014
4th Secretary-General of Hezbollah
Assumed office
29 October 2024 [a]
Preceded by Hassan Nasrallah

Qassem was elected secretary-general of Hezbollah on 29 October 2024, following the Israeli assassination of the previous leader Hassan Nasrallah in the 2024 Hezbollah headquarters strike and his assumed successor Hashem Safieddine on 3 October. [8]

Works and views

In 2002, Qassem published a book, Hizbullah: The Story from Within, which was revised and updated four times, mostly recently in 2010. [10] In August 2011, Qassem attended a ceremony for the eighth edition of his book, where he made the statement that "Billions of dollars have been offered to us to rebuild the deprived south Lebanon and in return to surrender our arms and stop the work of the resistance. But we told them we're not in need [of their money] and the resistance will go on regardless of the consequences." [13]

In 2009, Mustafa Badreddine replaced Imad Mughniyeh as the head of Hezbollah's military activities. [14] Qassem did not support the move, favoring his relative Samir Shehade. [14]

4th Secretary General of Hezbollah

Following the 2024 Hezbollah headquarters strike, Qassem gave his first statement, claiming that “Hezbollah will go on with its goals and its battle,”, assuring that even after Nasrallah's death, the organization and its fighters remain strong. [15] [16]

Disarmament of Hezbollah

Following the Lebanese goverment's desicion about the disarmament of Hezbollah, that calls for state monopoly on arms, Qassem stated in a televised speech on 15 August 2025, that there will be "no life" in Lebanon, if the government will try to disarm Hezbollah. [17]

Personal life

Qassem is married and has six children. [5]

Notes

  1. Arabic: نعيم قاسم, romanized: Naʿīm Qāsim

References

  1. "Hezbollah elects Naim Qassem to succeed slain head Nasrallah". Reuters. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  2. "Naim Qassem: Hezbollah's strategist, ideologue and now leader". Middle East Eye.
  3. "من هو نعيم قاسم الأمين العام الجديد لحزب الله؟". مونت كارلو الدولية / MCD (in Arabic). 29 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Hezbollah picks cleric Naim Kassem to lead the Lebanese militant group". NPR. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Who is Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hezbollah's deputy leader who spoke on Monday?". Reuters. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Sayyed Nasrallah re-elected for another term". The Weekly Middle East Reporter. 5 December 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  7. "Hezbollah deputy Naim Qassem elected as chief after Israeli strike killed Nasrallah - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  8. 1 2 Christou, William (29 October 2024). "Hezbollah elects new leader after Israeli killing of Nasrallah". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  9. "شيخ من الرعيل الأول.. من هو نعيم قاسم الأمين العام الجديد لحزب الله؟". التلفزيون العربي.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Dominique Avon; Anaïs-Trissa Khatchadourian; Jane Marie Todd (10 September 2012). Hezbollah: A History of the "Party of God". Harvard University Press. pp. 210–211. ISBN   978-0-674-06752-3 . Retrieved 14 April 2013 via books.google.com.
  11. "Hizbullah Renews Nasrallah as Head of Shiite Party; Forms A New Shura Council". The Daily Middle East Reporter. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  12. Naim Qassem Appointed as New Hezbollah Leader, I24 News, 29 October 2024.
  13. "Hezbollah offered billions to disarm: Qassem". The Daily Star. 1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  14. 1 2 Barel, Zvi (25 February 2013). "Who's breathing down Hezbollah leader's neck?". Haaretz. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  15. Ott, Haley (29 October 2024). "Lebanon's Hezbollah says Naim Qassem will replace slain leader Hassan Nasrallah - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  16. "Hezbollah deputy delivers defiant message following killing of Nasrallah". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  17. Gebeily, Maya; Choukeir, Jana; Gebeily, Maya (15 August 2025). "Hezbollah warns Lebanon 'will have no life' if state moves against it". Reuters. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
Party political offices
Preceded by Secretary-General of Hezbollah
2024–present
Incumbent