Who is Naim Qassem, the new leader of Hezbollah after Hassan Nasrallah’s killing

Who is Qassem and what is the significance of his appointment at this juncture of the Israel-Palestine conflict, in which Hezbollah has been involved? We explain.

Who is Naim Qassem?

Qassem has served as Hezbollah’s deputy chief since 1991. According to Reuters, his political activism began in the Lebanese Shiite Amal Movement, founded in 1974. This movement was one of the precursors of Hezbollah.

Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, which led to the formation of a theocratic state in Iran, Qassem left Amal. He eventually took part in meetings that led to the formation of Hezbollah in the 1980s.

The group emerged in the backdrop of years of civil unrest and ethnic conflicts among the different communities living in Lebanon. Further, many Palestinians fled their homes following the formation of Israel in 1948 and came to neighbouring Lebanon. This added to the tensions within the country. As some Palestinians attempted to launch attacks against Israel, the Zionist state began striking them, affecting the communities living in South Lebanon, including the Shias.

With support from Iran that continues to date, Hezbollah emerged as an anti-Israel, anti-West force in the region. It also engaged with the formal political system of Lebanon, later contesting elections.

Qassem “has long been one of Hezbollah’s leading spokesmen, conducting interviews with foreign media, including as cross-border hostilities with Israel raged over the last year,” the Reuters report added.

In 2008, he wrote a book (Hizbullah: The Story from Within) about the organisation, its goals and history. He said, “The resistance wing of Hizbullah is part of an integrated philosophical and political vision of jihad, which aims to build a strong, stable and independent country in Lebanon.”

Qassem also outlined its two main objectives: “to liberate the land from (Western) occupation and to defend Lebanon against the threat posed by Israel.”

What is the significance of Qassem’s appointment now?

Over the years, Hezbollah has become one of the most widely armed and formidable non-state actors in the Middle East. The group first began launching small-scale cross-border attacks towards Israel soon after the Palestinian militant group Hamas struck the country on October 7, 2023. It said these actions were in support of the larger Palestinian cause.

Nasrallah was killed on September 27, at a point when Israel and Hezbollah were frequently exchanging heavy fire, leading to the evacuation of people in North Israel and the deaths of thousands in South Lebanon. These events were triggered by an attack in July on Israeli children in the Golan Heights, which Israel blamed on Hezbollah. The group did not take responsibility for the act.

Since Nasrallah’s killing, Qassem has given three televised addresses. Senior Hezbollah figure Hashem Safieddine, who was considered the most likely successor, was also killed in Israeli strikes a week after Nasrallah.

Thus, Qassem’s elevation came at a point where the group was facing a leadership vacuum. There is also little indication of the larger conflict seeing a ceasefire or pause in hostilities. The death toll in the Gaza Strip conflict crossed 43,000, officials in Gaza reported Monday.

Qassem’s book described the group’s general philosophy on countering Israel, despite the changing nature of conflicts: “The basic foundation for confronting imminent Israeli danger could be stated as follows: the Israeli entity represents a grave peril to Palestine and to the entire region, one that should be countered, confronted and resisted. All means should be employed in facing this hazard and every confrontational phase will be shaped by its needs and prevalent circumstances.”