Salman khan
Late Hassan Nasrullah the General secretary of Hezbollah was born in Beirut in 1960. His early life was shaped by humble beginnings and a deep commitment to religious and political activism. During his early years of life Hassan Nasrullah joined Amal — a Lebanese Shia paramilitary group during the 1975 Lebanese civil war. Nasrullah went to Najaf–Iraq– to study seminary and returned to Lebanon during expulsion of Lebanese students from Iraq in 1978, becoming Al Biqa valley commander of Amal forces. Following 1982 Israel invasion of Lebanon Nasrullah joined the newly emerged radical Shia organization–Hezbollah–inspired and influenced by Ayatollah Rohullah Khomeini and 1979 Islamic revolution of Iran. Nasrullah went to Iran (Qom) to gain further religious education and assumed the leadership of Hezbollah in 1992 after the assassination of Abbas Al Musawi with his family.
His humble, thoughtful and humorous style of communicating with people and running a widespread welfare organization made him successful in acquiring grassroot support. Nasrullah gained popularity in the Arab world by conducting a fierce Guerrilla war against Israel and making the Israel occupying forces to endure a colossal lose and ultimately withdraw from the southern Lebanon in 2000. In 2004 Nasrullah accomplished a successful prisoner’s swap deal with Israel which many Arabs considered as a phenomenal gain. Israel was so much perturbed by the nefarious cross border activities of Hezbollah that it inflicted a full-scale war on Lebanon in 2006. Although many Arab leaders criticized Hezbollah and Nasrullah for inciting the conflict, however by the end of 34-day war the later was able to fight the Israel defense forces to a standstill- an accomplishment that no Arab militia had achieved before. Nasrullah profile was also raised when he negotiated, through US mediation, a ceasefire on cross border attacks with Israel.
The 2006 Lebanon war further augmented the prestige and political strength of Nasrullah that it started efforts to acquire more seats in the cabinet of Prime Minister of Fouad Siniora yet all went in vain momentarily. An endless rivalry started between Hezbollah and pro-government groups resulting in widespread chaos and violence in Lebanon. However, in 2016, after a great struggle Nasrullah was able to devise a power sharing formula and install his ally Michal Aoun as the president of Lebanon– a seat laying vacant for 29 months.
Unlike the support for Uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain, when the region was shaken by the Arab spring in 2013, Nasrullah Justified Hezbollah support for the Syrian Government in its Civil war. Thus, accusing him an accomplice of Bashar Al Assad in war crimes committed against civilian. Nasrullah played a key role in consolidation of Iran’s axis of resistance network across middle east as well. Hamas, a militant group of Palestinian freedom fighters and an ally of Axis launched a land, sea and Air attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Nasrullah sent warm congratulations to Hamas on the Attack; and a war broke out between Hamas and Israel. Since escalation of war there has been a strong international condemnation of Israel military actions, particularly in Gaza and West bank. Israel is repeatedly warned by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN of committing serious war crimes and violations of international Humanitarian Law. Indiscriminate bombing of civilian in Gaza, Blockade and targeting medical facilities and infrastructure are labeled as war crimes Under the Geneva Conventions yet Israel pays scant regards to international norms and morality.
The ongoing war has resulted in more than 42000 reported deaths of Palestinian along with 116 journalists and 224 humanitarian workers mostly Palestinian. The entire infrastructure of Gaza and west bank has been reduced to rubbles making even drinking water inaccessible. Economy of Gaza has been crippled by war and almost two-thirds of the population is living a life of misery.
After nearly a year of war in Gaza Strip, Israel has opened a second front of war, turning its attention to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. On September 27 Israel was reported to had dropped more than 80 bombs into Dahieh neighborhood targeting Nasrullah.
Body of late Nasrullah was found and identified the following day and the death of revolutionary vanguard of Palestinian cause was confirmed by Hezbollah. This assassination attempt occurred at a heighten though susceptible efforts of Biden Administration to arrange a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Netanyahu opposed any brokered settlement by blatantly saying as “I am toughest dude on the block” at UN rostrum during his annual address to General Assembly. Netanyahu will never change the course of war because he is confident that war is his golden ticket to remain prime minister and avoid any troublesome pending criminal indictments. In the end the Lebanese people will prove as much forgettable and disposable as Palestinian people. Their hopes, lives and dreams don’t matter to the west. All that matter is the self-proclaimed Israel’s right to defend itself.
Writer is Gold Medalist and Postgraduate Scholar from Peshawar
