BEIRUT — Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has reiterated Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah “was a source of wealth for the Islamic world, not just for Shiites.” 

Ayatollah Khamenei has said, “This wealth continues, and Hezbollah’s story endures.”

“His wealth is a great source of wealth for Lebanon and beyond,” Ayatollah Khamenei stresses.

However, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in the midst of the crucial issues and challenges he must address, launched a preemptive battle over the legality of commemorating the martyrdom anniversary of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and his deputy Hashem Safieddine.

Salam issued instructions to strictly prohibit the use of public property without prior permission, as Hezbollah intends to illuminate the Raouche Rock (a natural heritage landmark in Beirut) with images of Nasrallah and Safieddine, in addition to organizing a naval parade.

This is an opportunity to point out that the Prime Minister is a judge and a jurist, but he is unaware of the significant difference between natural landmarks and government facilities and buildings.

According to Article 1 of the Lebanese Public Property Law, the use of these natural features for an activity other than the establishment of permanent facilities or investment is open to all, like the beach.

 The law further stipulates that the organizer is only required to only inform the Beirut Governorate of this gathering in order to attain an information notice, not a permit.

Nawaf Salam’s defiant behavior reveals Washington’s fear of a repeat of the scene of the massive popular presence supporting the resistance in the capital, as happened during the funeral last February.

Indisputably, the only party Nawaf Salam’s cherishes is who brought him to his current position. Hence, he found himself forced to comply with an American and Saudi request to prevent Hezbollah from lighting the Rock of Raouche with the image of Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Nawaf Salam is not concerned at all with the conditions of the Raouche area or the Rock itself, as much as he is concerned with highlighting his hostile stance toward what Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah represents.

If Nawaf Salam is pushing the army to forcibly disarm the resistance front, then it is not surprising that he obstructs the honoring of its most prominent leader instead of defying the recent threats by US envoy Thomas Barrack.

Barrack’s threats could be a prelude to a resumption of hostilities, according to some analysts, on the eve of the Lebanese Army’s submission of the required monthly report on the progress in implementing the first phase of the disarmament plan.

According to an informed source, Barrack’s statements came after a series of harsh criticisms from the Israeli lobby that holds him responsible for his lack of firmness with Lebanese officials, which encourages them to evade.