Nasrallah’s Death Welcomed by Lebanon’s Christian Leaders: ‘A Legend Is Born’

A prominent Christian political leader in Lebanon issued a statement on Saturday praising Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah after he was confirmed dead in an Israeli strike.

Speculation that Nasrallah has been killed began swirling shortly after Israel carried out a massive attack there, which leveled several buildings in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Hezbollah, a group allied with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and supported by Iran, confirmed the death on Friday.

Considered by some to be the most charismatic leader of the proxy network that represents Iran’s power in the Middle East, Nasrallah rarely appears in public but has built a cult-like following with televised speeches. Israel and the United States have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

While Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political and militant group in Lebanon, some Christian leaders of Middle Eastern countries are allied with the movement.

Sleiman Frangieh, leader of the Lebanese Christian political party Marada and Hezbollah’s preferred candidate for the presidency, posted a short statement on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday.

“The symbol is gone, the legend is born, and the resistance continues,” he wrote.

Former Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Christian and founder of the Hezbollah-allied Free Patriotic Movement party, posted a longer statement praising Nasrallah as a martyr for the country.

“With the martyrdom of Hezbollah Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanon lost a famous and honest leader who led the national resistance on the path of victory and liberation. He was faithful to his promises and faithful to his people. He returned his love, trust and commitment,” he wrote in X.

The former Lebanese president described Nasrallah as “an honorable friend.” He also warned of the “danger” Lebanon is “witnessing as a result of Israel’s continued aggression,” calling for national unity.

“May God give the great martyr a spacious place in heaven, and my condolences to his family, the resistance, all his loved ones, and all of Lebanon,” Aoun wrote.

In Lebanon’s sectarian system of government, the president must be a Maronite Christian. Aoun is the country’s newest president, taking office almost two years into October 2022. His successor must be elected by Lebanon’s parliament, but political deadlock has left the country without a head of state.

Lebanon has a relatively large number of Christians, with a 2019 State Department report estimating that they are north of 32 percent of the country’s population. Historically, Lebanon has been more evenly divided between Christian and Muslim sects, with Christians having long held significant political and economic power.

Firas Maksad, senior director for strategic outreach at the Middle East Institute, said Newsweek that Nasrallah’s death “leaves a great void and raises serious questions about the future role of the (Shi’a) community in Lebanon’s ancient sectarian system.”

Despite representing the Shiite community in a country driven by sectarian strife, Nasrallah became a nationally respected figure when Israel ended its 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000. Hezbollah has also built a strong political presence in Lebanon with a powerful faction in parliament. .

“In the short term, the Lebanese army and the country’s veteran communal leaders will play an important role in stabilizing the system and the situation on the ground,” Maskad said.

There was a tit-for-tat attack between Hezbollah and Israel after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack into southern Israel that preceded the Gaza bombing.

Nasrallah spent his final days increasingly isolated as Israel disrupted the militant group’s communications and eliminated its most experienced generation of commanders. He holds the same position on Israel as Iran and rejects conciliation with that country.

“Israel’s relentless campaign in the last ten days has almost destroyed Hezbollah’s leadership, hindered its ability to communicate, and questioned whether the group should maintain command and control in a major war with Israel,” Masked said. “Hezbollah is clearly reeling from the significant blow it has suffered, perhaps encouraging Netanyahu to risk further escalation.”

Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged heavy fire since an electronic device attack on Hezbollah last week killed dozens and wounded thousands more. Israel is widely believed to have launched the attack last week, but has not claimed responsibility.

Newsweek has reached out to the governments of Lebanon, Iran and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.