Product Code Database
Abbas al-Musawi ( ; ; 26 October 1952 – 16 February 1992) was a Lebanese Shia cleric who served as the second secretary-general of Hezbollah from 1991 until his assassination by Israel in 1992.
According to some reports (while others attribute the act to Subhi al-Tufayli), al-Musawi was responsible for the abduction of Lt. Col William Higgins while commander of Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance (military wing). Jerusalem Post, 21 February 1988 Ha'aretz, 28 February 1989
In 1991, Hezbollah had entered a new era with the end of both the Iran–Iraq War and Lebanese Civil War as well as the Taif Agreement and the release of the Kuwait 17 bombers. A new leader was thought to be needed to facilitate the release of the Western hostages held by Hezbollah and, more importantly, to shift Hezbollah's focus to resistance activity against Israel.
Al-Musawi also promised to "intensify Hezbollah military, political and popular action in order to undermine the peace-talks."Middle East International, 8 November 1991 He did not support entering mainstream politics. Unlike other Hezbollah figures, he advocated the acceptance of Taif Agreement, which was the rejection of a theocratic state in Lebanon.
Later it was revealed by Dieter Bednarz and Ronen Bergman that the original plan of Israel had been just to abduct al Musawi to ensure the release of Israeli prisoners. However, Ehud Barak, then Israeli chief of staff, convinced then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir to order his assassination. Bergman also said that some Israeli military officials had opposed the assassination, warning: "Hezbollah is not a one-man show, and Musawi is not the most extreme man in its leadership...al-Musawi would be replaced, perhaps by someone more radical.”
In retaliation, the Islamic Jihad Organization attacked the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 civilians. After the attack, the Islamic Jihad Organization declared that it was carried out as revenge for the martyr infant Hussein, al-Musawi's five-year-old son, who had been killed with his father.
On 7 February 1994, four Israeli soldiers were killed and three wounded in an ambush in southern Lebanon which Hezbollah announced was to mark the anniversary of al-Musawi’s death. There were no Hezbollah casualties in the attack.Middle East International No 469, 18 February 1994, Gerald Butt p.9
Al-Musawi was succeeded as Secretary General of Hezbollah by Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah would prove to be a more effective leader than Al-Musawi, increasing Hezbollah's power and influence significantly. Nasrallah was assassinated in Beirut by an Israeli airstrike on 27 September 2024.
External links
Categories: 1952 Births, 1992 Deaths, Aerial Operations And Battles Involving Israel, Assassinated Shiite Clerics, Musawis, Hezbollah Founders, Assassinated Hezbollah Members, Assassinated Lebanese Politicians, 20th-century Lebanese Politicians, Lebanese Islamists, Lebanese Shia Clerics, People Murdered In Lebanon, Secretaries-general Of Hezbollah, South Lebanon Conflict, Twelvers, Islamic Dawa Party Politicians, Targeted Killing By Israel, Assassinations In Lebanon, People Killed In The Lebanese Civil War, Asian Politicians Assassinated In The 1990s, Politicians Assassinated In 1992, Deaths By Israeli Airstrikes
|
|
