Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Sheikh Abbas Al-Jawhari Abandoned His National Stances Mostly Out of Greed for Shiite Leadership After the Defeat of Hezbollah
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Sheikh Abbas Al-Jawhari Abandoned His National Stances Mostly Out of Greed for Shiite Leadership After the Defeat of Hezbollah Elias Bejjani/December 31, 2024
(Video link for Sheikh Abbas Al-Jawhari’s interview is below)
I was deeply surprised today by Sheikh Abbas Al-Jawhari’s speech, aired during his interview with “Al-Jadeed TV Station.” For years, I viewed him as a national model to be followed, but his recent rhetoric—marked by a drastic shift in tone, vocabulary, and substance—was both shocking and profoundly disappointing. His speech reflected a complete departure from his previous national, sovereign, and coexistence-oriented stances, leaving me and many others puzzled by his sudden repudiation of his past alliances. This 180-degree turn—delivered with anger and laced with militarized, provocative, and blatantly sectarian undertones—is troubling to say the least.
Understanding this “self-coup” and its underlying motives leads one to conclude that it is a calculated political move, aimed at positioning himself as a leader within the Shiite community in the aftermath of Hezbollah’s defeat and the evident weakening of the Amal Movement. His shocking return to a sectarian discourse aligned with the Mullahs’ agenda—and his newfound defense of Hezbollah’s choices, including his support for Gaza war—raises serious questions. These are positions he had previously criticized and marketed against. For many sovereign Lebanese across societal, sectarian, and political lines, his dramatic volte-face is both bewildering and disheartening.
From a political perspective, Sheikh Al-Jawhari’s demands—such as trading Hezbollah’s weapons for Shiite representation within the state power structure—betray a personal, authoritarian agenda. His focus on Maronite seats and his emphasis on sectarian calculations rather than national unity highlight his intent to exploit the power vacuum left by Hezbollah’s collapse. This shift unmistakably reveals his ambition to replace Hezbollah as the leader of the Shiite community. Unfortunately, such aspirations come at the expense of his national and sovereign commitments.
Even more concerning was the tone of his rhetoric, which was doctrinal, provocative, and deeply divisive. In this regard, he outdid even figures like Mufti Qabalan, known for his arrogance, sectarian fervor, and rejection of Christian—particularly Maronite—partners in Lebanon. Sheikh Al-Jawhari’s new stance is short-sighted and selfish, prioritizing personal gain over the collective good. His provocative mobilization of Shiite community members around sectarianism is both unacceptable and counterproductive, as it entrenches them further into Iranian-Hezbollah’s destructive choices.
In summay, Sheikh Al-Jawhari’s rhetoric today is unrecognizable compared to his past positions. His shift appears driven by a desire for sectarian leadership within the Shiite community, yet this ambition is unlikely to materialize given the many competitors vying for this role. Personally, I have long admired Sheikh Al-Jawhari’s courage, patriotism, and dedication to Lebanese identity and sovereignty. His recent pivot, however, has left me disillusioned.
At a time when the Shiite community is in desperate need of leaders who reject Hezbollah, Amal, and subservience to the Iranian regime’s Wilayat al-Faqih, Sheikh Al-Jawhari’s departure from his former principles is a missed opportunity. I sincerely hope he will reconsider his trajectory and return to the values that once earned him admiration and respect. Lebanon and its sovereign path depend on leaders who rise above sectarianism and stand firm against external domination.
Note/ Correction for a mistake in the Arabic video commentary: At the end of the commentary, I mentioned “Al-Jawhari the fundamentalist,” but what meant was “Al-Joulani” and not “Al-Jawhari.” My Apology, as no one is infallible.
