Hezbollah elects Naim Qassem as news Secretary-General, succeeding Nasrallah
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the Lebanese Hezbollah announced the election of Naim Qassem as the party's Secretary-General, succeeding the late Hassan Nasrallah, who was assassinated by Israel in an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on September 27.
In a statement, the party's leadership said, "In adherence to the principles and goals of Hezbollah, and under the established mechanism for electing the Secretary-General, Hezbollah’s Shura Council has agreed to elect His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem."
Kassem has served as the acting head of Hezbollah since the death of its longtime leader, Nasrallah.
A founding member of the Shiite political party and armed group, Kassem is recognized as a key figure within Hezbollah and has frequently been the public face of the organization, attending rallies and ceremonies, and giving interviews to foreign journalists, particularly after Nasrallah retreated from appearances due to assassination fears.
Born in 1953 in Beirut, Kassem hails from the town of Kfar Fila in southern Lebanon. He studied chemistry at the Lebanese University, later working as a chemistry teacher while simultaneously pursuing religious studies. His early involvement in student activism led to his participation in founding the Lebanese Union for Muslim Students, an organization aimed at promoting religious adherence among the youth.
In the 1970s, Kassem joined the Movement of the Dispossessed, a political organization established by Imam Moussa Sadr that advocated for greater representation of Lebanon’s marginalized and impoverished Shiite community. Following this, he became a member of Hezbollah, which was formed with Iranian support in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
From 1991, Kassem held the position of deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, initially under Abbas Mousawi, Nasrallah’s predecessor, who was killed in an Israeli helicopter strike in 1992.
In 2005, Kassem authored a history of Hezbollah, providing a rare insider’s perspective on the organization.
Although Kassem has taken on a more prominent leadership role since Nasrallah's death, his power within the group had been limited during Nasrallah's tenure.
Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin, who was also killed recently by Israel, is widely regarded as the leader’s preferred successor. Kassem is also sanctioned by the United States, which classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
