Israel condemned for the murder of Hezbollah chief

ISRAEL added to the long list of its murdered opponents that it conveniently labeled as ‘terrorists’ after announcing the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, secretary general of the Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim political party, after launching airstrikes in Southern Lebanon.

“We settled the score with the one responsible for the murder of countless Israelis and many citizens of other countries, including hundreds of Americans and dozens of French,” said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement after reports confirmed the death of Nasrallah, along with other leaders of Hezbollah last September 27, 2024.

US Imperialism and its Western and regional puppets whose unstinting support enabled Israel to continue with its ongoing genocide against the Palestinians, appear to be the only countries delighted over the death of Nasrallah.

Both US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, parroted Israel’s line of blaming Nasrallah for the death of “thousands” with Biden describing his murder as “a measure of justice.”

Biden also blamed Nasrallah for joining Hamas in its fight against Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian lands when Hamas attacked Israel last October 7, 2023.

The Hezbollah joining Hamas and the Houthis of Yemen in fighting off Israel’s aggression for nearly one year now ensured Netanyahu’s government that it would not be able to claim any ‘military victory’ or that peace would be possible at the point of the bayonet.

Worse, Nasrallah’s death is expected to further spread the scale of violence in the Middle East (West Asia) that would pit Israel, US Imperialism, and its Western minions against the various Muslim and Arab armed groups in the region.

Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, in a statement, warned, “This forceful action is fraught with even greater dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East.”

Russia also said Israel must now take “full responsibility for the subsequent escalation” of violence in the Middle East.

Terrorist or nationalist leader?

The US and Israel’s description of Nasrallah and Hezbollah as terrorists appear to be fiction designed to camouflage their aggressive action in the Middle East before the world.

On the announcement of Nasrallah’s murder, street protests condemning Israel erupted in Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Pakistan, and Egypt.

These demonstrations put into question the ‘terrorist tag’ Western governments and Israel placed against Nasrallah and Hezbollah. Three days of mourning were also announced in these countries as a show of respect to Nasrallah.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, also sent a letter to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, calling for an emergency session of the Security Council to discuss the latest atrocity of Israel.

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, in a public speech, also condemned the killing of Nasrallah, saying the country “stood in solidarity” with the Palestinians during their moment of grief.

Ben Norton, in his popular YouTube Channel, ‘Geopolitical Economy Report’ on September 29, 2024, noted that under Nasrallah, the Hezbollah even launched a successful campaign against the real terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda that helped save the government of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.

Nasrallah also went on record to condemn Al Qaeda after its ‘Twin Tower’ attack in the United States in September 2001, in an interview he granted to Robin Wright of the Washington Post (WaPo) on July 16, 2006.

Norton also noted that as a “political movement,” Hezbollah is part of Lebanon’s “democratically elected” Parliament.

Norton also reported that even former Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Christian and founder of the Free Patriotic Movement, described Nasrallah as a “martyr.”

“With the martyrdom of His Eminence the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanon loses a distinguish and honest leader who led the national resistance on the paths of victory and liberation. He was faithful to his promise and loyal to his people who reciprocated his love, trust, and commitment,” Aoun wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

A long list of murdered Hezbollah leaders by Israel

On September 30, 2024, the Associated Press, in a tally, named 10 ranking Hezbollah leaders murdered by Israel thus far aside from Nasrallah: Nabil Kaouk, deputy head, Hezbollah Central Council; Ibrahim Akil, commander, Radwan Forces and member, Hezbollah Jihad Council; Ahmad Wehbe, commander, Radwan Forces; Ali Karaki, leader, Southern Front; Mohammad Surour, head, Hezbollah Drone Unit;

Ibrahim Kobeissi, head, Hezbollah, Missile Unit; Fuad Shukur, killed in another airstrike in Beirut last July 30.

Also killed by Israeli assassination, according to the AP report, were Jawad Tawil, Taleb Abdullah, and Mohammad Nasser, all leaders of the Hezbollah Southern Front.