Hezbollah Threatens to Mobilize the Street: Venting Anger or a Pressure Tactic?

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has urged supporters to contain their anger and prepare to use it strategically for future goals, sparking debate in Lebanon about whether the party is moving towards mobilizing its base. "You have the right to be angry. But we ask you to hold that anger inside and be ready to use it when the time comes to achieve your goals and demands," Qassem stated last week. He further warned that any fallout from an "eruption" of this anger would be the responsibility of those who "do not know how to do their job" or "try to work against the resistance and its people." These statements arrive as southern Lebanon and its inhabitants endure significant hardship, mounting losses, and increasing political and military pressure. Qassem Qassir, a political writer close to Hezbollah, acknowledged the "real and present" anger among the party's supporters, particularly in the south, which is experiencing Israeli attacks and destruction. However, Qassir noted there is currently no indication of a change in Hezbollah and the Amal Movement's decision to avoid street mobilization. Political writer Mona Fayyad distinguished between the anger within Hezbollah's support base and the capacity to transform it into collective action. She emphasized that while displacement and difficult living conditions fuel anger, it does not automatically lead to an uprising. Fayyad stated that collective action requires a shared sense of threat, confidence in leadership, and a belief in the potential for mobilization to yield results. She also cautioned that a leader who acknowledges supporters' anger while urging restraint risks widening the gap between the base and its leadership.

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You have the right to be angry. But we ask you to hold that anger inside and be ready to use it when the time comes to achieve your goals and demands.