MP Najat Saliba says Tabataba’i assassination similar to that of Fouad Shukur

BEIRUT — Change MP Najat Aoun Saliba drew a parallel in an interview with Sawt Kel Loubnan between “the assassination of Haytham Ali Tabataba’i and that of Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukur, as well as the repercussions that led the country to a devastating war.”

Shukur, a senior Hezbollah commander, was assassinated in an Israeli strike in the heart of Beirut’s southern suburbs on July 30, 2024. Less than two months later, the Israeli army launched its nationwide offensive on Lebanon, killing over 4,000 people.

Saliba said she is worried that Hezbollah, which she said was considering retaliation, “would lead to more destruction, chaos and deaths,” arguing that “the party’s obstinacy and unilateral decision-making on the domestic front not only leads the country toward Israeli destruction, but also weakens the president’s position with all countries willing to help us.”

She added that Lebanon “does not have the military capability to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon. The only recourse is diplomatic pressure.”