Lebanon: Hezbollah favors appeasement, its militants hold a grudge
Visitors to the Hezbollah museum, in Nabatyeh, in October 2021. © Noé Pignède / RFI
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2 min
Since the deadly clashes of October 14 in Beirut, Shiite political leaders have called for calm, and not to fall back into a spiral of revenge.
But in a country on the brink of collapse, will they manage to control their sympathizers, even after several of their comrades have been killed?
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With our correspondent in Beirut,
Noé Pignède
Perched on a mountain overlooking the Shiite stronghold of Nabatyeh, the Mleeta Museum is a veritable Hezbollah amusement park.
In a huge garden, the organization supported by Iran praises its power and its military victories ... Dozens of families stroll amid missiles and cannons.
Ali, 28, is a Hezbollah activist.
According to him, the armed clashes that took place in Beirut in no way herald the start of a new civil war.
“
We don't want conflicts between Shiites, Sunnis and Christians.
We Shia Muslims are for coexistence.
Afterwards, it is not us who decide, but our leader Hassan Nasrallah.
For now, it's clear that only Samir Geagea
wants a war.
But we will never let that happen.
"
A speech that we find among most Hezbollah militants, and which reflects the position of the leader of their party: Hassan Nasrallah accuses the Christian militia of the Lebanese Forces led by Samir Geagea of wanting to "
start a civil war
", and presents him as the guarantor of peace.
Baha is a young Shiite activist and lost a comrade in the clashes in Beirut.
He wanted to take up arms to avenge his death, but he gave up under pressure from the party.
“
We are angry, but for now we have to wait for the movement's directives.
We will do what the leaders ask of us, and are ready for any scenario.
"
And the scenario of armed reprisals does not seem to be considered for the moment by the Shiite leaders, who say they want to favor a political and judicial solution.
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