Conceit and deceit in Lebanon's Parliament

Article inspired by a statement made by the Lebanese Minister of Agriculture

Abu Ali Express on Telegram posted this announcement four days ago (16.10.24):

The Lebanese Minister of Agriculture: More than 1.4 million displaced people in Lebanon as a result of Israeli aggression.

Since Israeli aggression is a direct result of Hezbollah aggression against us, I wanted to see who this person is, this Lebanese Minister of Agriculture, who blames us for defending ourselves against Hezbollah. After all, we are hearing that there are calls within Lebanon to get rid of Hezbollah. Better late than never, I suppose.

His name is Abbas AL Hajj Hassan. With a bit of exploration, I found that his name makes him most likely to be a Shia Muslim. The Ministry of Agriculture X account tells us that he was born in Shaat (or Chaat), a town in the Baalbek region. Since Baalbek is majority Shia, it is likely that Shaat is as well. So it appears that this journalist-become-minister is Shia.

You know — Shia like Hezbollah is Shia.

Oh, and by the way, with just a bit more reading, I found out that Minister Hassan is a Hezbollah appointment, one of only two Hezbollah ministers in the current government.

Exploring the ministry’s X account, I found this post from 12 Oct 24, four days before he cried about all the displaced Lebanese:

The good news of our people’s return to their villages has begun to appear through the steadfastness of the resistance men who are writing the most wonderful epics of heroism in defense of Lebanon, its land, and it’s sovereignty.

What the heck is he talking about? “Wonderful epics of heroism?” With all the top eschelons of Hezbollah dead and buried? Like this:

and this:

Abu Ali Rida has been killed since the publication of this image

---

Minister Hassan’s boast reminds me of an exchange that was reported in Israel National News on 25 September:

Assuta Public Hospital in Ashdod responded to a tweet on X by Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who posted that "Hezbollah is winning.”

Assuta responded to him in Farsi: "We are happy to book you in for an eye test. We are a public hospital and open to everyone."

---

In a Facebook post, Minister Hassan praised Parliament Speaker (Shia) Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister (Sunni) Najib Miqati for their efforts toward reaching a ceasefire according to UN Resolution 1701.

You know — the resolution Lebanon never upheld and UNIFIL never fulfilled their duty to make them uphold. The resolution that was supposed to keep Hezbollah north of the Litani River and unable to tunnel into Israel. Tunnels like this one discovered just a week ago, on 14 Oct, constructed a mere 200 m from a UN post:

We see Hassan’s conceit about Hezbollah’s so-called ‘capabilities’ and ‘sure victory’ and his deceit about what is behind this war. But that is not enough for me these days. When I write about people, I always check to see what they posted on or shortly after Oct 7th.

Something about Oct 7th

There is nothing about it on the ministry’s X account. He still maintains his personal X account and uses it for his more emotional posts. Here are just some examples from back in October 2023 (Google translate):

Oct 7:

#فلسطين [#Palestine] Capital of Heaven and Earth. They emerge as if they were the first born and write new titles for history. They triumph with their patience and will that which is almost impossible.

Oct 9:

In Palestine, the treasure of history is left by men on the road back, leaving the keys of time to a shy memory and returning to #فلسطين [#Palestine]. A longing that resembles an eclipse, or rather a lunar eclipse, and clear verses that you recite #القدس_الشريف [#Holy Jerusalem] as if they were the first prayers.

Oct 11:

Peace to the beloved South and to the struggling Gaza that we carry in our hearts and minds in the face of the arrogance and aggressive Israeli barbarism. #كفركلا [#Kafr Kila, Shia town] The town of steadfastness in the face of the occupier is calm and the wolves of hatred break its fangs with fear. [Post accompanied by rural photograph]

Oct 13

The martyr photographer #عصام_العبدالله #شهيد_الاعلام [#Issam Abdallah, photojournalist for Reuters in Beirut] is targeted brutally and barbarically by the Israeli enemy, and the journalists #قناة_الجزيرة [#AJ Arabic] Carmen Jokhdar and Elie Brakhia are injured. Zionist hatred will not stop our media message, no matter the sacrifices.

And even as late as just one month ago, he is still going on about honour, matyrdom, and victory.

Sept 20:

We spread their perfume on the balconies of time We hide their faces like a clear dawn, except for the supplication. For the martyrs, the jasmine necklace of our days, and the laurel wreaths of our heads. The honor of the homeland is redeemed with souls and lives. For the suburb that has become a homeland and a time of patience and victory, for them and for it a distance of time that will not be delayed. #حتما [#definitely] We will win

You can draw your own conclusions about what this man, a minister in the Lebanese government, thinks about Hamas’s atrocities and abductions of Oct 7th.

While there are only two Hezbollah ministers in the government and Hezbollah lost seats in the last election, according to an Alma Center article, they have not lost their influence, at least, not while Nasrallah was still alive.

As with everything in Lebanon, the choice [for president] ultimately rests with Hezbollah. Hezbollah wields both military and political influence. … Even the French envoy prefers to hold meetings with senior Hezbollah figures who hold the key to solving the presidential crisis over opposition representatives.

How many of those “senior Hezbollah figures” are still alive? Will this balance of power be maintained with Nasrallah gone? Is Minister Hassan still confidently wearing his deceitful smile now?

What happens in Lebanon is important to Israel.

---

Israel is not supported on the Substack payment platform; therefore, I set up a way to make one-time donations or ongoing subscriptions in your own currency using Paypal (Buy me a Coffee, below) or the Ko-fi payment platform here. Isbraelis can send me a private message for another option.

Articles will always be free for all subscribers but a paid subscription or donation is a way to help me sustain myself while doing all the work involved in putting these articles together and would be greatly appreciated.

Thank-you to all those who have supported my work by subscribing and/or by donating coffees.