Hezbollah suspends lawmaker who accused late president-elect of Israel support

BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah’s top commanding body suspended the political activities of a leading legislator because of his spat with rival politicians in Parliament last week, a Lebanese politician said Saturday.

Legislator Sami Gemayel, who heads the Christian Phalange party, said last week that Hezbollah’s wide influence was seen when it got its ally elected president in 2016.

Hezbollah legislator Nawaf Musawi responded saying “it’s an honor” for the Lebanese that President Michel Aoun came to his post alongside “the rifle of the resistance,” a reference to the Islamist group, and “not on an Israeli tank.”

Musawi’s last reference was to late president-elect Bashir Gemayel who was assassinated in 1982 days after being elected during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.

Gemayel’s son, Nadim, an MP, called Musawi’s statements “unacceptable.”

Bashir Gemayel (CC-BY SA Georges Hayek/Wikimedia Commons)

Two days later, the head of Hezbollah’s 13-member bloc in parliament, Mohammed Raad, apologized during a meeting of the legislature saying that Musawi “crossed lines.”

The politician who is familiar with Hezbollah’s internal affairs spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The daily Al-Akhbar, which is close to Hezbollah, said Musawi will be suspended from taking part in parliamentarian and the group’s internal meetings for one year. He will also not be permitted to speak to the media, it said. The paper added that Musawi’s comments violated a Hezbollah policy to avoid internal arguments with other groups.

Earlier this week, Musawi did not attend the weekly meeting of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc. He was also not present on the day that Raad issued his apology.