Sheikh critical of Hezbollah attacked in Haret Hreik

Sheikh Yasser Awdeh, known for his criticism of Hezbollah, was beaten Tuesday while passing through the neighborhood of Haret Hreik in the southern suburbs of Beirut where the party maintains a sizeable base. The incident, reported by the website Janoubia, was described by the latter as "attempted murder."

Contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour, the victim's son said that his father, injured in the jaw, was unable to speak.

"My father was leaving a religious office at Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah's place (a high Shiite religious authority) when he was approached by the brother of a mokhtar close to Hezbollah, Kamel Shahrour," he said. According to him, the man loudly accused him of insulting the assassinated secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, before hitting him. Other people, including the mokhtar and several young men, allegedly joined the assault afterward.

"My father never insulted Nasrallah. It's not his style to attack anyone, and there was no provocation," added his son.

Sheikh Awdeh is currently at his home. Although injured, his life is reportedly not in danger. He has not yet filed a complaint but is considering doing so against his main attacker.

A source within Hezbollah interviewed by L'Orient-Le Jour said that the party “strongly denounces the incident” and “does not tolerate any aggression against religious men.”

According to this source, “the incident is personal and stemmed from a verbal argument, knowing that the young man in question did not respect the cleric's dress.”

“In this case, we must let justice take its course,” stated the source.

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Silencing any dissenting voice

Ali al-Amine, director of Janoubia and political opponent of Hezbollah, said that this came as part of "Hezbollah's refusal to tolerate the presence of any voice not aligned with its stance." He told L'Orient-Le Jour that Sheikh Awdeh is known for his courtesy and moderation and is careful not to provoke anyone in the southern suburbs.

Like the victim's son, Amine believed that the religious figure was caught in a carefully organized ambush and the incident was part of a logic of stiffening towards any dissenting voice within the Shiite community and called on the Lebanese state "to protect these persons."

Awdeh's lawyer, Hassan Bazzi, stated, according to Janoubia, that "what mokhtar Kamel Shahrour did is an attempted murder for suspicious motives that, in these circumstances, only serve the interests of the Israeli enemy, and it is in this perspective that this case should be followed." Questioned by al-Jadeed, the lawyer confirmed notifying the Interior Ministry and preparing a complaint against the mokhtar and his brother with the prosecutor's office.