Hezbollah's al-Manar says Raouche Rock to be lit up, despite governor's ban

BEIRUT — Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV said Thursday that Raouche Rock will be illuminated with images of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine for the event commemorating their assassinations by Israel last year. Lighting up the rocks would defy a ban by the Beirut governor, who had only authorized a rally on the Corniche.

However, "the commemoration will take place in accordance with the license granted by the governor," Hezbollah spokesperson Youssef Zein told L'Orient Today. "As far as I know."

The Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar channel, on the other hand, broadcast an invitation to the march on Thursday, saing: “We invite you to participate in the activities of lighting the Raouche Rock with the pictures of the two martyred sayyeds accompanied by visual and audio activities and slogans and a public parade on marine boats with the raising of flags.”

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Hezbollah’s plan to project images of its late leader Nasrallah and his cousin and presumed successor Safieddine onto Beirut’s iconic Raouche Rock triggered sharp political backlash, with critics calling it a "symbol of the group’s growing isolation" and "disconnect from national sentiment."

In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called for a ban on gatherings in public spaces without prior permission after news of Hezbollah's intentions broke.

On Wednesday, the governor of Beirut, Marwan Abboud, authorized Hezbollah to hold a rally on Thursday on the Corniche facing the rocks at Raouche, as part of commemorations for the assassination of its former leader Hassan Nasrallah during last year's war against Israel. However, he did not grant permission for the iconic rocks to be illuminated or for images to be projected onto them, including portraits of Nasrallah and of Hashem Safieddine, who was considered his likely successor.

Zein acknowledged the party's receipt of permission, but said that Hezbollah is "still awaiting" permission for the illumination of the Raouche rocks. However, he stressed that "in any case, the activities will be held at a minimum on the Corniche."

'It belongs to everyone'

Forces of Change MP Waddah Sadek wrote on X Thursday: "When the narrative shifts from eliminating the State of Israel to placing an image on the Raouche Rock — while Israel continues its daily attacks and assassinations — the party finds itself in a leadership and political predicament, and it must reassess its position. The only way forward is to accept and commit to the logic of the state, and to return to Lebanon to rebuild it together with the rest of the Lebanese people."

Lebanese Forces MP Ghassan Hasbani, speaking on the program "Ma' Walid Abboud" on Tele Liban, referring to Raoche's "great symbolism," saying that "because it belongs to everyone, it should remain free from provocation," according to comments reported by the state-run National News Agency on Saturday. "It’s about deep-rooted grievances," he added.

He explained that the decision to prevent the projection of images of Nasrallah and Saffiedine onto the rock "reflects the state asserting its authority based on the will of a significant portion of the population."

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“The entire Lebanese population is wounded — not just one group," Hasbani said. "So, when one side says a certain sect is hurt and others must be considerate, they too must consider the pain of all Lebanese who suffered due to wars that dragged the nation into destruction.”

Hezbollah opened what it described as a support front for Gaza in southern Lebanon in October 2023, amid Israel's devastating onslaught on the enclave. The war with Israel escalated in September 2024, with heavy bombing of Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, as well as the assassination of Hezbollah leaders among many others of the party's military command and thousands of civilians.

Israel continues to violate the shaky cease-fire signed on Nov. 27, which had ended a full-scale war between Hezbollah and Israel.