Beirut (AP) – Thousands Hezbollah Supporters gathered at a scenic oversight on Beirut’s coast on Thursday to predict images of the group’s former longtime leader and the iconic arched Laucelok successor, commemorating his death in an Israeli airstrike nearly a year ago.
The move took place despite apparent attempts by Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to halt the planned light show.
Salam issued a circular earlier this week pointing to the “recent recurrence of exploitation of national monuments for propaganda purposes and holding activities in which partisan and political slogans are raised.”
He directed public institutions to “strickenly prohibit the use of public land and sea areas, archaeological and tourist landmarks, or those responsible for the symbolism of a unified state before obtaining the necessary licenses and permits from the relevant authorities.”
Hassan Nasraralongtime leaders of extremist groups and political parties were killed in a series of massive Israeli attacks on a site in the southern suburbs of Beirut on September 27, 2024, destroying the entire bloc where Nasrara met with Iranian generals and his top military commanders.
A few days later, Nasrara’s successor, Hashem Safieddinewas killed in another series of airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In a post on X, Salam said it was issued by the Governor of Beirut to the protest organizers, but said, “It clearly stipulates that the rocks of Lauche will not be illuminated at all from land, sea or air, and no light images will be broadcast to them.”
He said he asked the Minister of Home Affairs, Justice and Defense to “take appropriate measures such as arresting the perpetrator and referring him for an investigation,” and the incident “has a negative impact on (Hezbollah’s) credibility when dealing with the logic of the state and its institutions.”
A Hezbollah representative who followed the group’s procedures on condition of anonymity confirmed that the organizers only requested permission to meet.
He said it was unclear which agencies have the authority to grant light shows permission on the rocks, and that they thought it was covered under the Lebanese constitution by “freedom of expression.”
The event is a show of armed forces by Shia extremist groups and political parties, which was hit hard last year in the war with Israel and has since been subject to domestic and international pressure to abandon the remaining arms.
The conflict fatally launched a Hamas-led attack on Israel, led by Hamas-led, on October 7, 2023, sparking an ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah began firing rockets across the border on the “support front” for Hamas and the Palestinians in Gaza. Israel responded with air strikes and artillery fire, and both sides were trapped in a low-level conflict that escalated into a complete war in September 2024.
It ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November, but Israel has been carrying out almost a day-long airstrike in Lebanon, saying it aims to reorganize Hezbollah.
The Lebanese government has said it will work to disarm Hezbollah and integrate weapons into the hands of the state. Hezbollah officials said they would not discuss handing over the group’s weapons until Israel stops airstrikes and withdraws its forces from several important border points occupying southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials are trying to push the country’s cash-bound troops to force disarm them, fearing that such a move will lead to civil conflict.
