Southern voter turnout sends clear message to 'Israel': MP Fadlallah
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Lebanese lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah says southerners turned out for municipal elections despite ongoing Israeli attacks, sending a clear message of resistance and sovereignty.
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Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah speaks to the press in the southern Lebanese village of Bint Jbeil on November 27, 2024 (AFP)
The people of southern Lebanon took part in the municipal and mayoral elections despite the ongoing Israeli aggression, said Lebanese MP Hassan Fadlallah on Saturday, describing the high voter turnout as a “clear political message” directed at the Israeli occupation.
Land comes first
Speaking to Al Mayadeen, Fadlallah noted that despite the Israeli attacks, southerners insisted on participating in the elections, and they are firmly holding on to their land.
He emphasized that this steadfastness serves as “a political message reaffirming that the people of the South do not relinquish their rights and do not allow aggression to undermine their sovereign decision-making.”
Strong participation by Amal movement, Hezbollah
The Lebanese lawmaker highlighted that both Hezbollah and the Amal Movement are actively engaged in the electoral process, saying, “In the area south of the Litani River, the two parties are contesting more than 100 municipalities.”
He stressed that “the elections are a national duty and reflect the public’s readiness to defend the land and its institutions.”
On Resistance and Liberation Day
Coinciding with Resistance and Liberation Day, Fadlallah highlighted the symbolic significance of the moment, saying, “On this occasion, we remember the Leader of the Resistance, the martyr of the Ummah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose martyrdom inspired Resistance fighters across the southern villages and thwarted the enemy’s objectives.”
He asserted that the political and popular landscape in the South is “organically linked to the path of Resistance” and that southerners have “once again proven they will not be broken by the occupation.”
Fadlallah also pointed out that “the [Lebanese] government bears significant responsibilities, foremost among them the liberation of occupied land, the return of captives, and the reconstruction of areas ravaged by the aggression.”
It is worth noting that the fourth and final round of municipal and mayoral elections has begun in southern Lebanon, amid ongoing Israeli attacks targeting villages and towns, posing a serious challenge to the electoral process.
Sheikh Qassem urges massive southern turnout in municipal elections
On Thursday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered a message to the people of southern Lebanon ahead of the final round of municipal and local elections, praising their decades-long resilience and sacrifices in the face of repeated Israeli aggression.
Framing the upcoming municipal elections as part of the resistance, Sheikh Qassem described them as "a challenge tied to the steadfastness of our position and our commitment to the land, to its reconstruction, to its people, its orchards, its homes, and the life it deserves."
He added that those aligned with the Israeli occupation were watching closely, "All those who bet on the Israeli aggression are awaiting the results."
Sheikh Qassem made clear that the Resistance views participation as a patriotic duty, not merely an electoral exercise. "We are not asking you to achieve victory in the elections; you are already victorious, God willing, through your unity, your support for Amal and Hezbollah, your backing of the Loyalty and Development lists, and your embrace of the resistance. You are the resistance," he said. "We call on you to intensify your presence and participation in the elections so that victory is thunderous."
Elections linked to reconstruction
Sheikh Qassem also linked the electoral process to reconstruction, stating that "broad participation in the municipal and local elections is part of the reconstruction process, which we will pursue hand-in-hand with the elected municipalities and the Lebanese state, which must assume its responsibilities."
He concluded by tying the act of rebuilding to honoring the sacrifices of martyrs, wounded, and prisoners. "Reclaiming and rebuilding the south and all that was destroyed in Lebanon is an inseparable part of our loyalty to the blood of the martyrs, chief among them the martyr of the Ummah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and to our wounded and our captives, whom we will continue to work to recover," he said.
Read more: 'Israel's' violations threaten South Lebanon stability: UNIFIL Chief
