Syrian Rebels Respond To Assassination Of Hizbullah Secretary-General Nasrallah: 'The Most Beautiful Day Ever;' 'Rejoice, Dance, And Sing!'

The news of the September 27, 2024 assassination of Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike was joyfully welcomed by members of the Syrian opposition. They took to the street in droves in several cities, setting off fireworks and distributing sweets; some even carried signs expressing their gratitude to Israel. The euphoria that they had been feeling as Israel's elimination of senior members of Hizbullah, an ally of the Bashar Al-Assad regime in the war against the Syrian opposition, had gained momentum was now at its peak. Syrian oppositionists also expressed their joy on social media, calling the day of Nasrallah's killing one of the happiest of their lives.

It is well known that throughout the war against the Syrian regime, the opposition had accused Hizbullah of committing numerous crimes against the Syrian people: besieging cities where Syrian rebels resided, massacring unarmed civilians, training military forces for the Syrian regime, forcing Syrians to leave their homes and move to the north of the country, supporting processes aimed at shifting Syria's demographics in favor of the Shi'ites, and producing and smuggling drugs.[1] For them, Nasrallah's elimination, and the blow dealt to Hizbullah, constitute both revenge and justice being served.

This report reviews Syrian oppositionists' reactions to the assassination of Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah:

Syrians Celebrate: Life Is More Beautiful Without Nasrallah

Numerous Syrian oppositionists asserted that life without Nasrallah will be better for the Arabs, and for Syrians in particular. Syrian anti-regime activist Mohammad Shazar posted a video on his X account in which he is seen dancing and eating sweets, and wrote: "Congratulations to the Syrians, congratulations to the Arabs, on the occasion of the death of the criminal, the murderer, the terrorist Hassan Nasrallah. Honestly, today is the most beautiful day ever."[2]

Maged Abd El-Nour, a media activist affiliated with the Syrian opposition, posted a similar video on his X account that showed people dancing with joy, and wrote: "Rejoice, dance and sing. This is one of the days of justice for the Syrians."[3]

Siba Madwar, a Syrian journalist affiliated with the opposition, posted on her X account: "Our region and peoples without Hassan Nasrallah will be better and more beautiful."[4]

Omar Madaniah, a Syrian journalist and activist affiliated with the opposition, shared a photo on his X account of Nasrallah flanked on the right by the commander of Iran's IRGC Qods Force Qassem Soleimani and on the left by Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Al-Hashd Al-Sha'abi (Popular Mobilization Units, PMU)[5] - both of whom were killed in a January 3, 2020 U.S. airstrike on Baghdad airport. Madaniah expressed his satisfaction that the time had finally come when all those pictured were no longer alive.[6]

Videos and photos of Syrians celebrating Nasrallah's killing in various cities appeared across social media. The celebrations depicted were particularly in cities in the north that are under rebel control, but also in the Daraa Governorate in the south that is officially controlled by the regime but where its security hold is weak.

Burning of a Hizbullah flag and distribution of sweets in the city of Busra Al-Sham in the eastern part of Syria's Daraa District (Sources: Facebook.com/HoranFreeMedia, September 28, 2024); and X.com/Omar_Madaniah, September 28, 2024)

Celebrations of Nasrallah's death in northern Syria, in the city of Idlib (left) and in the city of Azaz (Sources: X.com/HadiAlabdallah, September 28, 2024; and X.com/syrianewsag, September 28, 2024)

Most unusually, in some of the celebrations, Syrian oppositionists held up placards with messages of thanks, in Arabic and even in Hebrew, to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for eliminating Nasrallah.

Syrian children hold placards with the words "Thank you Netanyahu, [now] we ask you for the head of the criminal Bashar Al-Assad;" and "Thank you Netanyahu, you have gladdened the hearts of the children of Syria." (Source: X.com/Hanzpal2, September 28, 2024)

Members of the Syrian opposition hold a poster in broken Hebrew that expresses thanks for the elimination of Nasrallah (Source: X.com/Hanzpal2, September 28, 2024)

Syrian Oppositionist: We Are Fully Entitled To Rejoice At Nasrallah's Death

Several Syrian oppositionists took pains to highlight the calm felt by some Syrians following Nasrallah's death. For instance, Hadi Al-Abdallah, a Syrian journalist from Homs who is affiliated with the Syrian opposition, shared a video depicting celebrations of the death of Nasrallah in the city of Idlib in northern Syria, and wrote: "It is the right of the people whom Hizbullah expelled [from their cities] and whose children it killed to rejoice, at least a little, after 14 years of oppression."[7]

Similarly, Syrian oppositionist Qasem wrote that people should rejoice at Nasrallah's death, in the name of the many Syrians killed in Hizbullah attacks and massacres in Syrian cities. He wrote on X: "For the sake of the martyrs of [the city of] Al-Qusayr; for the sake of the martyrs of [the city of] Al-Zabadani; for the sake of the martyrs of [the cities of] Duma and Madaya; for the sake of the martyrs of [the city of] Aleppo; for the sake of the martyrs of [the city of] Idlib: Rejoice at the death of the criminal and the murderer Hassan Nasrallah."[8]

Syrian journalist Omar Madaniah also posted on his X account: "Allah be praised, Hassan Nasrallah was killed before he achieved his dream to destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque in Palestine as he destroyed the mosques in Syria."[9]

In another post, Siba Madwar noted that in many Arab countries, not just Syria, there was joy at Nasrallah's death. She wrote on X: "The joy of this day does not belong to the Syrians alone – although it was they whose blood was shed more than others by Nasrallah's weapons... This is popular, widespread, conscious Arab happiness, starting in Lebanon, continuing through Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and extending to Jordan... We thank every one of them, and I am sure that this awareness and unity of the ranks are the first signs of a better Arab future after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah."[10]